WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 567W, on publications, how much her Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: As of 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office has been part of the Home Office and is no longer a separate Government Department. The information requested will be provided by the Minister for Immigration, the hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green), in response to your question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May).

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

National Audit Office

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many National Audit Office staff were previously employed by management consultants or organisations which include management consulting in their overall services.

Edward Leigh: The National Audit Office (NAO) does not hold these data on the whole of its work force, but, of the 420 individuals recruited to the NAO since 1 April 2009, 42 were previously employed by management consultants or organisations which include management consulting in their overall services (including accountancy firms).

National Audit Office

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many National Audit Office staff have gone to work for management consultants since 2009-10.

Edward Leigh: The National Audit Office does not collect this information.

National Audit Office

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission whether any employment restrictions are placed on staff leaving the National Audit Office.

Edward Leigh: Before staff leave the National Audit Office (NAO) they are reminded of their obligations under the Official Secrets Act and are required to re-sign the Act. This prohibits disclosure of certain categories of security-sensitive information acquired through their official duties. In addition, they are reminded that they have a continuing obligation to respect the copyright and confidentiality of NAO and client information after they have left the NAO.

National Audit Office

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission whether the National Audit Office examines, logs and analyses the use of management consultants by Government Departments, including the advice given, whether it is followed and whether it is good value for money.

Edward Leigh: The National Audit Office (NAO) does not routinely log information on Government's use of consultants but periodically reports on how Government is using consultants within value for money reports on specific Government programmes and in cross-Government reports.
	The NAO published its most recent cross-Government report, ‘Central Government's use of consultants and interims’, in October 2010 making a number of recommendations to improve value for money. The recommendations included collecting and making better use of information on the type of consultancy services being bought, the benefits being delivered and the performance of suppliers. The NAO also recommended using consultants only when there were no suitable existing staff in Departments, and contracting with consultants, and assessing their performance, against specified outcomes rather than the time spent on a project. The NAO's recommendations influenced the Cabinet Office's approach to achieving better value for money from consultants. Spending on consultants across all Departments reduced by £645 million in 2010-11. The Cabinet Office agreed that the NAO's influence was accountable for half of the savings, equivalent to £322.5 million.

National Audit Office

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission whether the National Audit Office warns Government Departments of management consultants with a poor track record of advice.

Edward Leigh: The National Audit Office (NAO) does not warn Departments about the poor track record of specific management consultants. However, the NAO's 2010 report found that Departments were not using information on the past performance of consultants to inform buying decisions. The NAO recommended that the Cabinet Office analyse and share Departments' management information to inform purchasing decisions by identifying top suppliers by service provided, the value delivered from past spending with consultants and, where possible, reusing existing work.

WALES

Twitter

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Twitter accounts her Department operates; and who in her Department is responsible for them.

Cheryl Gillan: The Wales Office operates two official twitter accounts—@walesoffice and @swyddfacymru. The communications team is responsible for updating both of these accounts.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Motor Vehicles

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly of vehicle licensing and motor taxation powers; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 7 February 2012, Official Report, column 171W.
	I have had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), or the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on the devolution of vehicle licensing and motor taxation powers.

Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to have discussions with the new Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; if he will discuss the investigation by the Police Ombudsman's office into the police investigation of the 1994 attack in Loughinisland; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I welcome the appointment of the new Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Dr. Michael Maguire, and look forward to meeting him soon.
	Any decision on the investigation by the Police Ombudsman's office into the police investigation of the 1994 attack in Loughinisland is an operational matter for the Police Ombudsman to determine in his independent capacity.

Ulster Bank

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further discussions he will have with the Chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland on the technical difficulties at Ulster Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9 July 2012, Official Report, columns 21-22W.
	I have discussed the technical problems at Ulster Bank with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke).
	The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), also spoke to the RBS Chairman and Chief Executive, to impress on them the significant distress which had been caused to many Ulster Bank customers.
	I welcome the announcement on 31 August that Ulster Bank is to compensate customers affected by the computer failure and its commitment that none of its customers will be out of pocket.
	I will continue to monitor the situation and await the outcome of the independent investigation into the IT failure, which I understand will be available in the autumn.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes have been completed in each London borough in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: The numbers of affordable homes completed in each London borough in 2010-13 and 2011-12 were reported in the Homes and Communities Agency's National Housing Statistics, published on 12 June 2012:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/national-housing-statistics
	These statistics only cover affordable housing that is delivered through the Homes and Communities Agency's affordable housing programmes; affordable housing delivered outside these programmes is not included. The Homes and Communities Agency delivery normally accounts for 80% to 95% of total affordable supply. Completions include both new build and acquisitions.
	Affordable housing completions (recorded by the Homes and Communities Agency) across London rose from 12,870 dwellings in 2010-11 to 16,176 in 2011-12.
	Total affordable completions, including those delivered outside the Homes and Communities Agency's programmes are published annually in the Department's Affordable Housing Supply statistics available on the Department's website. Figures for 2011-12 are expected in the autumn:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousingsupply/livetables/
	From the 1 April 2012, the Mayor of London has had oversight of strategic housing, regeneration and economic development in London. The Mayor has clearly stated that over the next three years he anticipates delivering 55,000 affordable homes within London.

Affordable Housing: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition of affordable housing in respect of London his Department (a) used in May 2010 and (b) now uses; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The affordable housing definition for planning purposes in England is set out in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework published in March 2012. The definition which applied in May 2010 was set out in Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing published in November 2006.
	The substance of the definition is unchanged.
	Since June 2011, the definition has also referenced the new Affordable Rent model, which did not exist in 2006.
	The National Planning Policy Framework also amended the definition to be clear that eligibility for affordable homes should be determined according to local incomes; this was ambiguous in Planning Policy Statement 3.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Bob Neill: The Department's records do not differentiate between payments made to registered charities and other voluntary and community sector organisations. A list of payments made under section 70 of the Charities Act 2006 to charities and voluntary groups is published in the Department's annual report and resource accounts on a yearly basis.
	This list will include some of the payments made by the Department to registered charities for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
	In addition, departmental spending over £500 since 2008-09 is also published monthly on our website as part of my Department's broader transparency agenda. Since February 2011 these reports have included a column indicating whether a vendor classifies themselves as a voluntary and community sector organisation.

Community Infrastructure Levy

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for his Department's review of the community infrastructure levy.

Bob Neill: A comprehensive review of the community infrastructure levy is to be held five years after the regulations first came into force in 2010. Following a consultation last year on reforms to the Levy, including the introduction of neighbourhood funds, we are working to bring forward draft amendment regulations later this year.

Community Infrastructure Levy

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with the National Farmers Union on the potential implications for the community infrastructure levy on the viability of UK farming.

Greg Clark: In addition to the discussions I have held with the National Farmers Union about planning reform, officials meet regularly with the National Farmers Union to discuss a range of planning matters. In relation to the Community Infrastructure Levy, local authorities must have regard to development viability and have discretion to set a low charge for uses where viability is limited. For example, both Huntingdonshire and Shropshire were among the first authorities to charge the levy and both apply a £0 charge for agricultural uses. Also, non-residential buildings under 100 sq m are exempt from the levy, as are buildings which people do not normally go into, such as plant and machinery facilities. Officials would welcome further discussion with the National Farmers Union as further early practice emerges.

Ex-gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department in the last two years.

Bob Neill: Special payments made by the Department are as follows:
	2010-11: £1,380,901 (of which £1,364,345 relates to personal injury compensation claims)
	2011-12: £1,769,432 (of which £1,596,566 relates to personal injury compensation claims)
	The vast majority of the payments relate to the settlement of personal injury compensation claims brought against the Department by former Ministry of Public Buildings and Works/Property Services Agency employees who contracted asbestos related diseases following exposure in the workplace.

Fire Services

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of fire service response times from time of call to time of first attendance for each fire and rescue service were of a duration of (a) up to five minutes, (b) six to 10 minutes, (c) 11 to 15 minutes and (d) over 15 minutes in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [R]

Bob Neill: holding answer 17 July 2012
	These data were published on 4 July in spreadsheet table 2a of the publication Fire Incidents Response Times. They can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/fire/researchandstatistics/firestatistics/fireresponsetimes/

Google

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington, of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 7W, on Google, what the outturn spending on Google Adwords was in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10; and what the 868 different keywords are which were used in each year.

Bob Neill: During the period 2008-09 and 2009-10 the Department bought online advertising, including Google Adwords, through the COI framework appointed agency i-Level. As both COI and i-Level have ceased trading, the Department no longer has access to this level of detail about historical media buying.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 29 March 2010, Official Report, column 836W, where the total Department spend on advertising via Google Adwords was reported as being £212,825.94 for the year 2009-10. We are aware that this spend was on three campaigns—Fire Kills, Fire and Rescue Service Equality, and Preventing Repossessions. A breakdown of spend on the Department's marketing activity for these two years can be found at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/1298507.pdf
	for 2008-09 and, for 2009-10 at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/1684008.pdf

Government Procurement Card

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the Audit Commission's Government Procurement Card transaction data including value, date, merchant and merchant for each item of expenditure incurred in the last 36 months for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	Letter from Eugene Sullivan to Marcus Jones, dated 3 September 2012
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	The list of transactions made by the Audit Commission on the Government Procurement Card for 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 will be placed in the Library.

Green Belt

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what records the Planning Inspectorate keeps of decisions that they have made in allowing planning applications made for developments on green belt land.

Bob Neill: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The Planning Inspectorate keeps records of decisions made by Inspectors on planning appeals where the green belt was a specific issue. Electronic copies of decisions made since 2005 are available through the inspectorate's online system. Appeal files are retained for a year after decision and are destroyed thereafter.

High Street Review

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what additional funding his Department plans to allocate to successful Portas pilots; and what criteria will be used in judging the effectiveness of the Portas pilots;
	(2)  what data his Department is collecting to monitor the success of (a) Town Team pilots and (b) the high street innovation fund.

Grant Shapps: The successful Portas pilots will each receive up to £100,000 along with a comprehensive package of support. Each of the pilots will be putting in place appropriate indicators to monitor the impact of their actions locally. We will also be commissioning a national study which will measure impact from the successful pilots, enabling the sharing of best practice and lessons learnt across the country.
	Local areas were awarded the high street innovation fund to support empty properties on the high street and drive their local economy and are responsible for ensuring that it is spent effectively. No central data will be collected on the use of the high street innovation fund reflecting the fact that this Government are committed to reducing top-down reporting burdens on local government; we would encourage the spread of best practice, especially at the local government level.

Housing Companies

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have established local housing companies to date.

Grant Shapps: Local housing companies pilots were a programme of the last Administration; the Homes and Communities Agency concluded that such schemes were not viable in the short-term due to the prevailing conditions of the housing market.
	Some local councils may have subsequently pursued local initiatives, but such information is not centrally collated.

Housing: Construction

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been built in each of the new growth points to date.

Grant Shapps: It is for local areas to determine their housing need, and my Department no longer centrally designates or monitors top-down “growth points”.
	Instead we have put in place measures to support the delivery of new housing, in line with local need, such as through the New Homes Bonus, Getting Britain Building and the Growing Places Fund.
	Official figures on house building by local authority area are available on my Department's website.

Housing: Construction

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what data his Department is collecting to monitor the implementation of the New Homes Bonus; and when he plans to make this data publicly available.

Grant Shapps: The Department publishes the provisional and final allocations of New Homes Bonus each year to all local authorities in England; the full details of their calculation are set out in the New Homes Bonus Calculator on the departmental website which can be found at this weblink:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/2079385.xls
	New Homes Bonus is an unringfenced grant, so that local authorities are free to spend it as they wish. Although the Department takes an interest in good practice in use of New Homes Bonus, it does not maintain a comprehensive record of how local authorities spend their bonus grants as this is a matter for local discretion.
	The bonus payments for 2011-12 and 2012-13 recognise an increase of over 300,000 in effective housing stock over two years, comprising some 270,000 new build homes or conversions and more than 37,000 empty homes brought back into use.

Housing: Central London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the change in the value of central London homes since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: Information is not available on the recent value of central London homes. Statistics are available on house prices based on sales. For example, the Office for National Statistics publishes the House Price Index which includes separate figures for London. The latest release is available at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/hpi/house-price-index/april-2012/stb-april-2012.html
	Information on house price changes by London boroughs is included in the Land Registry monthly statistics report, available at:
	http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/public/house-prices-and-sales

Housing: Overcrowding

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 8W, on housing, how many overcrowded (a) households and (b) individuals there were in each region.

Andrew Stunell: Levels of overcrowding and under-occupation are measured using the “bedroom standard”, which is the difference between the number of bedrooms needed to avoid undesirable sharing (given the number, ages and relationship of the household members) and the number of bedrooms actually available to the household.
	The answer is taken from the English Housing Survey 2010-11. Due to small sample sizes it is necessary to combine three years of data (2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11) together to form the estimates. Even so, there is considerable uncertainty around these figures due to sampling effects. The estimates are as follows:
	
		
			  Households Individuals 
			 North-east 19,000 93,000 
			 North-west 68,000 323,000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 46,000 233,000 
			 East midlands 40,000 205,000 
			 West midlands 66,000 344,000 
			 East 51,000 234,000 
			 London 259,000 1,121,000 
			 South-east 70,000 310,000 
			 South-west 35,000 162,000 
			 Note:Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. 
		
	
	Given that these figures include data from at least two years’ worth of surveys that were carried out prior to May 2010, they are primarily a reflection of the situation that the coalition Government have inherited from the last administration.
	The Government are taking a series of steps to promote house building, to help councils tackle waiting lists and better manage their housing stock, to get empty homes into productive use, and to build 170,000 affordable homes over the spending review period.

Internet

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department plans to create a myth buster section on its website similar to that of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bob Neill: Not at present; however, the newsroom area of the Department's website has a section with responses to assorted topical issues that feature in the media:
	www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom/issuesandresponses/

Landlords: Prosecutions

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many private landlords have been prosecuted for evicting tenants who have requested that repairs are made to the property, in each of the last five years.

Grant Shapps: The Government do not hold this information. However, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 September 2012, Official Report, 118256, which makes clear, the English Housing Survey strongly suggests that the incidence of landlords evicting tenants because they requested repairs is very low.

Local Government Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make an assessment on the effect of the manipulation of the LIBOR rate on the cost of borrowing for local councils.

Bob Neill: holding answer 13 July 2012
	Local councils borrow primarily from the Government, through the Public Works Loan Board. LIBOR rates do not factor in determining the board's lending rates. The Government does not collect specific information on councils' costs of borrowing from other sources.

Local Government: Pay

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities increased pay for staff earning less than £21,000 per annum by £250 or more between 2010 and 2012.

Bob Neill: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The information requested is not held centrally. While the Government's overall policy on public sector pay sets the context in which decisions about pay are taken locally by councils, Government have no role in determining annual pay awards in local authorities. These are for the employers and unions to negotiate within the framework of the relevant National Joint Committee.

Local Government: Staff

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of staff employed in local authority planning departments in each of the last two years and the predicted levels for the next five years; and what assessment he has made of the effect that future staffing levels will have on the ability of local planning authorities to carry out planning enforcement activities.

Bob Neill: The Department does not collect detailed information on local government workforces. It is for councils, as individual employers, to manage the structure of their workforces in light of their local circumstances and in a way that enables them to meet their priorities and offers value for money for local taxpayers.

Mobile Homes

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has any plans to increase the licensing powers of local authorities in respect of the management of mobile home parks.

Grant Shapps: The Department has recently consulted on a range of measures to modernise the local authority licensing regime that applies to mobile home sites. These reforms will require primary legislation and we are working with my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) with a view to including them in his private Member's Mobile Homes Bill.

Non-domestic Rates

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department plans to review the mechanism for determining annual business rates increases; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Government will review the use of the consumer prices index for indirect taxes, including business rates, once our fiscal consolidation plans have been implemented and the duty increases inherited from the previous Government have come to an end.
	The Government's commitment to the annual retail prices index cap provides businesses with stability and certainty and means that there has been no real terms increase in business rates since 1990. We have listened to concerns about this year's increase and have given businesses the option of deferring payment of 60% of the retail prices index increase in 2012-13 rates bills until 2013-14 and 2014-15.
	We have also doubled the level of small business rate relief in England until 31 March 2013. Over half a million businesses in England are expected to benefit, with approximately a third of a million businesses paying no rates.
	We have also given local authorities discretionary powers to grant business rates discounts as they see fit.

Non-domestic Rates

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many businesses have taken advantage of the Government's Business Rates Deferral Scheme for 2012;
	(2)  how many businesses were eligible to take advantage of the Business Rates Deferral Scheme announced in the 2012 Budget.

Bob Neill: All ratepayers have the option of taking advantage of the business rates deferral scheme and ratepayers can defer at any time during the 2012-13 billing year provided that they have some of their bill left to pay. We will collect data on both the number of business rates that took advantage of deferring scheme in 2012-13 and the amount of business rates that were deferred at the end of the billing year. We plan to publish these in autumn 2013.

Planning Permission

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what timetable he has set for his Department's review of neighbourhood planning;
	(2)  what key performance indicators his Department plans to use to evaluate neighbourhood planning.

Greg Clark: In line with the Government's policy of regularly reviewing domestic regulation enacted through secondary legislation, the deadline for the publication of the results of the statutory review is set out in the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.
	The Government are committed to reviewing and understanding the impacts, outputs and value for money of neighbourhood development plans, neighbourhood development orders and community right to build. We have set out a post-implementation review plan in the impact assessment on Neighbourhood Plans and Community Right to Build. It proposes that the review is undertaken between three and five years following Royal Assent of the Localism Act 2011. The impact assessment, which includes measurable success criteria, can be found at:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2012/9780111525050/impacts

Planning Permission

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the effect of recent planning reforms.

Greg Clark: As I set out in my written ministerial statement of 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 42-44WS, the National Planning Policy Framework and the Localism Act provide the basis for a radically improved planning system and there is clear evidence that they, and the earlier written ministerial statement on planning for growth, are already delivering results. For example, we are seeing the rate of local plan adoptions rise—37 plans have been adopted in the last 12 months, compared with less than 60 adopted in the six years before the 2010 general election and high levels of approval rates for planning applications. We are committed to undertaking an initial review of the National Planning Policy Framework after the first year of its operation.

Planning Permission

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received from local authorities on the ability of planning departments to carry out planning enforcement activities.

Bob Neill: Ministers receive representations from local authorities regarding different aspects of the planning enforcement regime from time to time.
	Some local authorities have recently made representations in relation to the issue of 'beds in sheds', both in relation to breaches of planning control and the problem of landlords renting out outbuildings as substandard living accommodation. My Department has consequently held a series of summits with local and central Government on the issue, has allocated £1.8 million of additional funding, for planning and housing enforcement and to assist with re-housing the tenants concerned, to help the local authorities which are particularly affected, and has produced best practice guidance to assist local authorities, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Localism Act 2011 has increased the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development and the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 has augmented councils' powers to use bye-laws to tackle unauthorised encampments. The Government are reviewing what further steps can be taken to increase local authority powers to tackle unauthorised development and occupation.

Planning Permission: Nature Conservation

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish guidance under the National Planning Policy Framework to planners on how to protect nature improvement areas against environmental damage; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Chris Heaton-Harris) on 17 May 2012, Official Report, columns 246-47W.

Private Rented Housing: Evictions

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has undertaken on retaliatory evictions in the private rented sector.

Grant Shapps: The English Housing Survey carried out by my Department includes research into evictions, including the incidence of retaliatory eviction. The most recent data, drawn from the English Housing Survey Households Report for 2010-11, show that in only 9% of cases were tenancies in the private rented sector terminated by the landlord. Of those, numbers of retaliatory evictions were too small to be reported robustly.

Private Rented Housing: London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent research his Department has undertaken into the operation of the private rented sector for housing in London.

Grant Shapps: My Department carries out research into the operation of the private rented sector in England through the English Housing Survey of which the most recent iteration was published in July 2012. The survey does not disaggregate data between different localities within England. However, the Department is able to draw on other data sources, such as that produced by the Valuation Office Agency on rents, for more location specific work.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answers of 13 June 2012, Official Report, columns 517-8W and 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 418W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents and since May 2010.

Bob Neill: The total departmental spend on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents since May 2010 is shown in the following table. As an indicator, total spending 2009-10 has also been included.
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			  Number of consultations(1) Circulars Publications Consultations Annual total 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 May 2010 66 — — — 1,789,055 
			 1 May 2010 to 31 March 2011 18 1,150 98,849 — 99,999 
			 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 44 — 54,935 7,309 62,245 
			 1 April 2012 to 30 June 2012 23 — 14,305 860 15,165 
			 (1)2 July 2012, Official Report, column 418W Notes: 1. Archived data for 2009-10 do not allow us to analyse the spend data into the three categories listed above. 2. This represents spend in the first quarter only and does not represent the level of spend expected in the following quarters. 3. Also note that the Department changed its policy on publication, part way through 2011-12, to self publishing, hence the notable reduction in spend over the three years.

Railways: Planning Policy

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to introduce a planning policy framework to support further private sector investment in rail freight terminals and rail-connected distribution parks, including strategic rail freight interchanges; and what his projected timescale is for any such plans.

Greg Clark: The National Planning Policy Framework published on 27 March 2012 requires local authorities to work with neighbouring authorities and transport providers to develop strategies for the provision of viable infrastructure necessary to support sustainable development, including large scale facilities such as rail freight interchanges or transport investment necessary to support strategies for the growth of ports, airports or other major generators of travel demand in their areas.
	The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), made a statement in November 2011 about the importance of rail freight and the need for a network of Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges to support growth and create employment. The Department for Transport is currently undertaking a wide-ranging review of the status and future of the strategic road network. Once this work has concluded, the results of this review will be used for the preparation of a new national policy statement for national networks.

Regional Planning and Development

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will encourage local authorities to publish a local equivalent of the National Infrastructure Programme with the aim of improving the viability of local infrastructure projects.

Greg Clark: The National Planning Policy Framework published on 27 March 2012 requires local planning authorities, through local plans, to plan positively for the development and infrastructure required in the area. The framework also stresses the need for local plans to be deliverable and viable, facilitating development throughout the economic cycle.

Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff of his Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date.

Bob Neill: As at 11 July 2012, we have no staff from the Department for Communities and Local Government in the civil service redeployment pool.

Work Experience

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many interns work in his Department's press office.

Bob Neill: There are no interns working in the Department's press office.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to answer Questions 111138 and 111139 on troubled families, tabled on 8 June 2012 for answer on 12 June 2012.

Bob Neill: Questions 111138 and 111139 were answered on 17 July 2012, Official Report, columns 644-45W.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not routinely record the charitable status of the organisations with which it transacts. A one-off manual review of supplier listings has identified payments by the Department and its non-departmental public bodies of £9.2 million to 31 registered charities during the period April 2009 to March 2012.
	The following table itemises these payments which were made directly by the core Department, the Coal Authority and the Civil Nuclear Police Authority. Neither the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority nor the Committee on Climate Change have identified any payments to registered charities in the period covered by the question.
	The charities listed received payment for services provided to the Department. The majority of expenditure was incurred with National Energy Action in respect of fuel poverty and warm homes policies (£4.7 million) and the Construction Industry Training Board (£2.02 million) for Green Deal assessor and installer training.
	Registered charities may also have received payments indirectly from the Department via grants disbursed through partner organisations such as the Carbon Trust or the Energy Savings Trust. It would incur disproportionate costs to establish details of such payments.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Total 
			 Core DECC     
			 Barnardo's 56,226 28,548 -14.274 70,500 
			 British Safety Council — — 2,142 2,142 
			 British Trust For Ornithology (The) 72,370 74,995 34,965 182,330 
			 Centre For Sustainable Energy 229,509 314,618 178,713 722,840 
			 Construction Industry Training Board—Construction Skills — — 2,018,222 2,018,222 
			 Ellen Macarthur Foundation 500,000 700 — 500,700 
			 Employers Forum on Age (EFA) — — 3,272 3,272 
			 Employers Forum on Disability — — 7,128 7,128 
			 Epilepsy Society — — 660 660 
			 Forum for the Future 26,500 9,600 500 36,600 
			 Keep Britain Tidy 40,000 29,213 — 69,213 
			 National Energy Action (NEA) 1,358,941 1,792,694 1,593,327 4,744,962 
			 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds 50,000 — 32,987 82,987 
			 The Centre for Accessible Environments 5,288 — 6,912 12,200 
			 The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (UK) 816 592 — 1,408 
			 The Media Trust — — 1,320 1^320 
			 The Royal National Institute for Deaf People T/A Action on Hearing Loss — — 1,890 1,890 
			 The University of Edinburgh 8,310 11,787 — 20,097 
			 The Whitehall and Industry Group 28,319 14,220 37,522 80,061 
			 Wellcome Trust — — 500,000 500,000 
			 Total Core DECC 2,376,279 2,276,967 4,405,286 9,058,532 
			      
			 Civil Nuclear Police Authority     
			 British Dyslexia Association — — 4,944 4,944 
			 Business in the Community — — 6,000 6,000 
			 Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals — — 675 675 
			 North Country Leisure — 511 45 556 
		
	
	
		
			 Skills for Justice 4,850 4,520 3,594 12,964 
			 St. Andrew's Ambulance Association — — 211 211 
			 St John Ambulance 8,888 3,882 666 13,436 
			 The UK Association of Suggestion Schemes 1,690 699 — 2,389 
			 The University of the Highlands and Islands — — 1,530 1,530 
			 The North Highland College 1,170 — 175 1,345 
			 Total CNPA 16,598 9,612 17,840 44,050 
			      
			 Coal Authority     
			 The University of the Highlands and Islands 350 476 429 1,255 
			 The North Highland College 1,350 — — 1,350 
			 The Pariser & Schleider Charitable Trust 55,997 415 12,519 68,931 
			 Total Coal Authority 57,697 891 12,948 71,536 
			 Grand Total 2,450,574 2,287,470 4,436,074 9,174,118

Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2012

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the entry into force of section 16(5) of the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2012.

Gregory Barker: The Government published their estimate of the impact of the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) on the delivery of glazing measures in its “Final Stage Impact Assessment for the Green Deal and ECO”:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green-deal/5533-final-stage-impact-assessment-for-the-green-deal-a.pdf

Electricity Generation

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the role of distributed energy generation in reducing national electricity demand.

Gregory Barker: The Department for Energy and Climate Change publishes annually updated projections of energy demand and supply. The latest is available on the DECC website. These projections include 30TWh of auto generation in 2015 and 40TWh in 2020, including generation that was both used internally within various industries and that which was exported to the distribution system. In addition to this, microgeneration that is eligible for a feed-in tariff is estimated to amount to around 5TWh in 2015 and 12TWh in 2020. This generation will reduce demand on central generation which originates from larger, (primarily) transmission-network connected power stations.

Electricity: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has put in place measures to ensure that any costs incurred by suppliers relating to the early smart meter roll-out are not passed on to consumers.

Charles Hendry: The Government published a smart meter Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy on 31 May 2012. This document sets out how the Government intends to monitor and report on supplier costs and efficiency savings arising from the smart meter roll-out, including those from early installations. We expect any costs to energy suppliers to be recovered through energy prices, but also the larger amount achieved through efficiency savings would be reflected in prices as energy suppliers are subject to competitive market pressures. Consumers will also make energy savings from the rollout. Overall, and considering both cost and costs savings to energy suppliers, as well as energy savings to consumers, we expect savings on energy bills for the average dual fuel customer of £25 per annum. Annual reporting is expected to start around the end of 2014.

Energy Retail Market

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of electricity market reforms on competition in the energy retail market.

Charles Hendry: The existing large energy companies will have a critical role in delivering the UK's security of supply and decarbonisation objectives. However, they cannot deliver all the investment we need—one of the key aims of electricity market reform is, therefore, to encourage new entrants to the wholesale market and new sources of finance. Wider participation and more diversity are key to a competitive market and we are also keen to see new players in the energy retail market. The Government will act where necessary to tackle any structural barriers to market entry that are not addressed through the actions taken by Ofgem.

Energy Company Obligation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the annual cost per household of the introduction of the energy company obligation.

Gregory Barker: The average cost per household of the energy company obligation (ECO) is estimated to be £46 per annum. ECO and previous obligations on energy suppliers that have supported energy efficiency improvements will result in a net reduction in average energy bills by 2020.

Energy Company Obligation

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will ensure that energy suppliers recover energy company obligation costs to the benefit of low consumption consumers; and what assessment he has made of the requirement for a further mechanism to ensure this.

Gregory Barker: We have not specified whether and how the costs of delivering the energy company obligation (ECO) are recovered from consumers, it is an issue for energy suppliers to consider.
	However, unlike previous schemes, obligations under the ECO will be set on the basis of a company's sales volumes (rather than its customer numbers). This reflects the view of many parties in consultation that such an approach is likely to lead to costs being passed on to consumers in a more equitable way, with low consumption consumers paying less.

Energy Supply

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from energy companies on the likely increase in costs to non-domestic energy customers arising from the prohibition of roll-over contracts.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials receive a number of representations from energy companies about a range of issues.
	Ofgem is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including supply to the non-domestic sector. The use of a roll-over contract for non-domestic customers ensures there is no disruption to their electricity or gas supplies should they fail to notify their existing supplier that they wish to agree a new contract or switch to another supplier within the time limit set out in the terms of the contract. From January 2010, new rules introduced by Ofgem limit the period of rolled-over contract to 12 months.

Energy Supply

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that energy companies make non-domestic customers aware of their contract renewal dates.

Charles Hendry: Ofgem is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including supply to the non-domestic sector. From January 2010, Ofgem has required energy supply companies to provide non-domestic customers with clear and transparent contract terms and conditions, and they must send their customers a reminder 60 days before the end of their contract. The non-domestic customer then has 30 days to notify their supplier if they wish to agree a new contract or switch to another supplier.

Energy Supply

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of global reserves of (a) oil, (b) natural gas, (c) coal, (d) wind and (e) solar power in planning the UK's future energy security.

Charles Hendry: We draw on a range of sources in order to improve our understanding of global energy reserves. These include the International Energy Agency, industry, and other research organisations. BP's Statistical Review of World Energy estimates global reserves as (2011 data): oil—1,652,600 million barrels; natural gas—208,400 billion cubic metres; coal—860,938 million tonnes; wind—239,485 megawatts (installed capacity); and solar 69,371 megawatts (installed capacity).

Energy: Conservation

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress the UK has made towards meeting its EU energy efficiency target to reduce primary energy use by 20 per cent by 2020 compared with business as usual through improvements in energy efficiency.

Gregory Barker: The target to reduce primary energy consumption by 20% by 2020 relative to business as usual applies to the European Union as a whole. The UK does not currently have a target to reduce primary energy consumption by 20% by 2020 relative to business as usual.
	Under article 3 of the energy efficiency directive, the UK is required notify the European Commission of its indicative target for final energy consumption in 2020 by 30 April 2013.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of smart meters on competition and efficiency in the energy market.

Charles Hendry: The introduction of smart meters should support competition and enhance efficiency in the energy market. Smart meters should facilitate switching between suppliers, through the availability of more accurate and detailed information which will help consumers to seek out better tariff deals; and through the rationalisation of the arrangements for handling the change of supplier process. The availability of more detailed information should also encourage innovation and the entry of energy service companies into the energy market. In addition, smart meters will facilitate more efficient network management, demand shifting and the integration of renewables.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to regulate the installation of smart meters as part of the smart meter roll-out.

Charles Hendry: The Government are requiring the installation of smart meters by the end of 2019 through an obligation on gas and electricity suppliers. It is establishing a detailed regulatory framework to underpin the roll-out. This includes the development of a minimum technical specification for smart meters, the establishment of a central body to handle communications with smart meters, a consumer engagement strategy, a data access and privacy regime and various consumer protections, including a requirement for an installation Code of Practice.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure transparency from energy companies in the daily management of customer data as a result of the introduction of smart meters.

Charles Hendry: The Government have recently consulted on proposals which would make suppliers responsible for explaining clearly to their own customers what data will be accessed, for which purposes, and what choices those customers have. The Government has also proposed that suppliers should remind their customers annually about the data that is being collected and the choices that the consumer has.
	In addition to these proposed requirements, there are general requirements relating to transparency on all data controllers under the Data Protection Act.
	The Government are also implementing the midata project, which aims to give individuals more access to, and control over, the data that companies hold on them. The aim is to enable consumers to view, access and use their personal and transaction data in a way that is portable and safe.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to set up a consumer engagement strategy, as part of the digital switchover, ahead of the smart meter installation programme.

Charles Hendry: The Government believe that an effective strategy for consumer engagement is needed to help deliver the expected benefits from the roll-out of smart meters. We recently consulted on the development of the strategy. The consultation is available at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/cons_smip/cons_smip.aspx
	It is now closed and the Government will respond later this year.
	The strategy is not part of the digital switchover, but in developing the strategy we have sought to learn from this and other relevant programmes.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage the growth of skilled jobs and apprenticeships linked to the smart meter roll-out.

Charles Hendry: The introduction of smart metering will bring significant new opportunities for UK businesses and their staff. Energy suppliers and networks, metering service companies, meter manufacturers and telecommunications providers will all be extensively involved. Many of the jobs created will be UK-based. Industry sources estimate that between 4,000 and 5,000 meter installers may be required. This work will be more highly skilled than traditional meter installation, requiring additional training. DECC has been closely involved with the National Skills Academy for Power's (NSAP) development of training courses which will enable individuals to become accredited meter installers. In addition, in July the National Apprenticeship Service approved the Smart Metering Apprenticeship Framework (England and Wales) which complements the existing Smart Metering Scottish Modern Apprenticeship.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average expected life-span will be of a typical energy smart meter.

Charles Hendry: The impact assessment case assumes an asset life of 15 years. Manufacturers have indicated that in practice asset lives may be greater than this.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what discussions his Department has had with (a) property developers, (b) local authorities, (c) voluntary sector organisations and (d) social housing providers on smart meter installation targets in the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  which industrial sectors other than the energy sector his Department has consulted on the planned smart meter roll out.

Charles Hendry: DECC has consulted, and continues to consult, on all aspects of the smart metering roll-out. In addition, DECC has established a range of consultative and working groups, including a Consumer Advisory Group, in which voluntary sector organisations participate and a number of workshops on consumer engagement to which representatives of these groups were invited. DECC recognises the role that all these groups can play in facilitating the installation of Smart Meters and will look to work more closely with these groups as part of its consumer engagement strategy as rollout progresses. In terms of industrial sectors DECC has engaged in extensive consultation and discussions with the telecommunications industry, which is the non-energy sector most closely involved with the smart metering roll-out.

Energy: Meters

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that the evidence base for his Department's conclusions about the ability of smart meter solutions to reach (a) areas of Great Britain and (b) numbers of consumers is robust.

Charles Hendry: The Government have developed a robust evidence base for the smart meters programme, which is reflected in regularly updated programme impact assessments.
	Communications to and from smart meters will be the responsibility of the new Data Communications Company (DCC). Companies providing communications services to the DCC will have to demonstrate how they will deliver a comprehensive solution across Great Britain. These services are now being procured, and it is anticipated that this process will be finalised in spring 2013.
	Energy suppliers are required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that a smart meter is installed at their customers' premises by the roll-out deadline of the end of 2019. To ensure that energy suppliers have robust plans in place to meet this requirement, suppliers are providing DECC with detailed information about their planned roll-outs over the period to 2019 in terms of timing, area and volume. This process is ongoing and will enable the programme to monitor suppliers' progress in rolling out smart meters to all of their customers in all parts of Great Britain.

Energy: Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  whether his Department has estimated the total cost of the smart meter roll-out to (a) consumers and (b) energy suppliers;
	(2)  whether his Department has estimated the average cost to a consumer of the installation of smart meters.

Charles Hendry: In April 2012 DECC published updated impact assessments for the rollout of smart meters in the domestic and non-domestic sectors. These estimate total costs of around £ 11.5 billion and total benefits of over £18.6 billion, giving a net benefit of around £7.2 billion. Energy suppliers will directly bear the large majority of the costs of the rollout, but they will also realise operational cost savings, both of which are expected to be passed on to consumers. In the early years of the rollout, as suppliers are responsible for the set-up costs to establish the smart metering system, we expect that suppliers will pass through a net cost to consumers. The impact assessment, published in April 2012, estimates that the bill increase will be most pronounced in 2015, when it is expected that the rollout will increase the average annual bill by £7 per household. As the rollout progresses, suppliers are expected to realise net savings. Overall, considering both costs and cost savings to energy suppliers and energy savings by consumers, we expect the rollout to reduce the average, annual dual fuel bill by £25 by 2020, and by £40 in 2030.

Energy: Prices

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of recent trends in domestic energy prices on levels of child poverty in (a) summer and (b) winter months.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Child poverty statistics are published annually in the Households Below Average Income series (HBAI). The HBAI publication presents estimates of the number and proportion of children living in households with relative low income, absolute low income and combined low income and material deprivation.
	HBAI statistics are based on the Family Resources Survey, which covers a full financial year, and so it is not possible to calculate child poverty levels for winter or summer in isolation.
	The latest statistics for each of the measures can be found in the latest HBAI publication available at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc
	The Government have in place a strong package of measures to help consumers with energy bills. Programmes such as the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Warm Front, the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation are helping to make more homes energy efficient. The Warm Home Discount provides £1.1 billion of support up to 2015 and helps 2 million low income and vulnerable households directly with the cost of their bills.
	The voluntary agreement announced by the Deputy Prime Minister means suppliers will ensure all consumers have good information on their supplier's best tariff, and collective purchasing schemes can also help consumers secure better deals on their bills.

Energy: Prices

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the potential effect on (a) domestic and (b) industrial fuel bills of the Government's policy on decarbonisation.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 17 July 2012
	On 23 November 2011, alongside the Annual Energy Statement, DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy polices on energy prices and bills for households, medium-sized businesses and large energy intensive users in 2011, 2020 and 2030, available online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
	The headline results are presented in the following table. The results for energy intensive industries do not include the impact of the package of measures for energy intensive industries announced in the Chancellor’s autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810. On 12 March, the Government launched a call for evidence on the impact of electricity costs on energy intensive industries in the UK to inform implementation of this package of measures, available online at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/low-carbon-business-opportunities/energy-intensive-industries
	A breakdown of the separate gas and electricity bill impacts by individual policies is presented in the set of tables in Annex F (from p. 67) of the aforementioned document. An updated assessment will be published alongside the next Annual Energy Statement later this year.
	
		
			 Estimated impact of energy and climate change policies on average energy (gas plus electricity) bills compared with bills in the absence of policies 
			 £ 
			 Real 2010 prices 2011 2020 2030 
			 Household    
			 Bill without policies 1,229 1,379 1,474 
			 Bill with policies 1,249 1,285 1,427 
			 Impact of policies 19 (2%) -94 (-7%) -46 (-3%) 
			     
			 Medium-sized business user    
			 Bill without policies 1,550,000 1,738,000 1,829,000 
			 Bill with policies 1,821,000 2,073,000 2,337,000 
			 Impact of policies 271,000 (18%) 335,000 (19%) 508,000 (28%) 
			     
			 Large energy intensive industrial user    
			 Bill without policies 8.2 million to 15.6 million 9.3 million to 17.4 million 9.7 million to 18.0 million 
			 Bill with policies 8.4 million to 17.5 million 9.4 million to 20.9 million 10.8 million to 24.1 million 
			 Impact of policies 0.3 million to 1.9 million (3% to 12%) 0.2 million to 3.5 million (2% to 20%) 1.1 million to 6.1 million (115 to 34%) 
			 Source DECC 2011. Figures may not add due to rounding.

Energy: Prices

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of energy bill standing charges on (a) market competition and (b) achieving the Government's social and environmental objectives.

Charles Hendry: Standing charges reflect the fixed costs, such as network and distribution charges, to the supplier of supplying gas or electricity to a customer. DECC considers these charges alongside other areas impacting on bills, and how this will affect our objectives, as part of our Annual Energy Statement.
	Ofgem is currently considering the structure of tariffs as part of its Retail Market Review, which aims to increase competition in the retail energy market.

Energy: Prices

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Office of Rail Regulation's 13th Periodic Review, what assessment he has made of the effect on the competitiveness of UK industry of higher energy prices.

Gregory Barker: The Government are aware of the importance of energy prices to UK industry; that is why the Chancellor announced a package of measures in the 29 November 2011 Autumn Statement, Official Report, columns 799-810, worth £250 million over the current spending review period to assist electricity intensive industries. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is considering the results of its recent consultation on track access charges levied on rail freight operators in the next railway funding Control Period from 2014 to 2019; no decisions have yet been made.

Carbon and Renewable Energy

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how the central framework for his Department's long-funded spending will operate in relation to legally-binding targets on carbon and renewable energy with regard to projects coming forward under the support mechanisms contained in the draft Energy Bill.

Gregory Barker: The Government are fully committed to meeting their legally binding renewable energy target and carbon budgets. The policies within the Levy Control Framework are designed to enable Government to achieve these targets, and the overall levy cap is set—and will continue to be set—consistent with that aim.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made on the uptake of energy efficiency measures by those in fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: The Warm Front scheme provides low income vulnerable households, living in energy inefficient properties, with a range of energy efficient heating and insulation measures, helping some of the most vulnerable households to have a warmer, healthier and more energy efficient home. The scheme is a key part of our policies aimed at tackling fuel poverty and has assisted over 2.3 million vulnerable households, across England, since its inception in June 2000.
	The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target super priority group (CERT SPG) targets vulnerable and low-income consumers considered to be at greatest risk of fuel poverty. The CERT extension impact assessment estimated that 275,000 cavity wall and 100,000 loft insulation measures would be installed in SPG households between April 2011 and December 2012.
	The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) targets specified low income areas. Around 30,000 had been treated under the scheme as of December 2011, and the CESP impact assessment made an assumption that up to 90,000 homes would benefit from CESP. The final figure will not be known until early 2013 when obligated parties are required to report final figures to Ofgem.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the written ministerial statement of 15 March 2012, Official Report, column 36WS, on fuel poverty, what recent progress his Department has made on revising its measurement of fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Professor Hills published his final report of his review of fuel poverty in March 2012. Since then the Department has been examining the options that Professor Hills put forward. We intend to publish a consultation on a future definition of fuel poverty later in September and to adopt a new approach to fuel poverty measurement after it has been completed.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 on levels of fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: The methodology used for estimating levels of fuel poverty means that the impact of the introduction of universal credit in 2013 will first be assessed in 2015.
	We are working to ensure that the introduction of universal credit can be reflected in the Government's suite of policies to tackle fuel poverty. For example, we intend to amend the eligibility criteria for schemes such as the energy company obligation to include universal credit, as well as the current benefits system, to ensure as far as possible that the same types of low income and vulnerable households can be identified and assisted.

Green Deal Scheme

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  if he and his officials will consider any role the Green Deal could play in stimulating the boiler replacement market;
	(2)  if he will consider using heating installations as a trigger for an energy efficiency review as part of the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: We consider boiler replacements to be an important trigger for conversations about improving the energy efficiency of a property through the Green Deal. We understand that a number of potential Green Deal providers are exploring how to capitalise on this trigger as part of their business models.
	In reverse, the Green Deal could help stimulate the boiler replacement market as the cost of boilers could be funded or part-funded using Green Deal finance.

Green Deal Scheme

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on stimulating the UK boiler replacement market through the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: I continue to engage colleagues across Government, including those within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, on the opportunities the Green Deal presents for stimulating the energy efficiency market. This includes the suite of measures supported under the Green Deal and those delivered as a result of the Affordable Warmth element of the energy company obligation under which energy suppliers are required to provide heating and insulation measures to low income vulnerable households.

Green Deal Scheme

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet representatives of the heating industry to discuss the Green Deal and the boiler replacement market.

Gregory Barker: I can confirm that there is regular contact between the Department and the heating industry. For example, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council are represented on one of the Green Deal advisory forums, which have been in operation since early 2011.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of contracts for difference for medium-scale renewable electricity generators between 5MW and 50MW in capacity.

Charles Hendry: The feed-in tariffs with contracts for difference (CfD) mechanism has been developed to increase the rate of investment in low carbon generation including medium-scale renewable electricity projects of between 5MW and 50MW. It is anticipated that a wide range of potential investors will be able to participate in the market, as the CfD removes significant risks from qualifying generators as it provides them with greater revenue certainty by reducing wholesale price risk.
	During the development of the CfD we have taken into account challenges faced by a range of types of generation. These include concerns raised by some independent generators that there may be difficulties securing long-term contracts for their power. In response, we have issued a Call for Evidence to understand better these issues and whether Government should take additional steps to facilitate these generators’ ability to sell their power.
	We will publish further detail of the CfD mechanism and any proposals for improving independent generators' access to the market later in the year.

Renewable Energy: Transport

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contingency plans his Department has put in place to reach the 15 per cent renewable energy target by 2020 under the renewable energy directive in the event that renewable transport does not reach its 10 per cent target.

Charles Hendry: The Government is committed to meeting the binding target of 15% renewable energy and mandatory sub-target of 10% renewable transport by 2020 and there are a number of ways in which both targets can be met.
	We set out potential contingency measures for meeting the UK's renewables targets in the Renewable Energy Roadmap (published July 2011).

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to promote the uptake of the Warm Home Discount.

Gregory Barker: The Core and Broader Group elements of the warm home discount scheme offer fixed value discounts off eligible customers' energy bills. These were worth £120 in 2011-12 and will be worth £130 in 2012-13.
	In terms of promoting uptake for 2012-13, eligibility for the Core Group of the warm home discount scheme is based on a customer or their partner on 21 July 2012 receiving only the guarantee credit element of pension credit or, if they are aged 80 or over receiving the guarantee credit element of pension credit, (even if they get savings credit too). In each case the pension credit recipient or their partner must be named on their electricity bill with one of the participating energy supply companies.
	As this elderly group may struggle to claim, the Core Group uses limited data sharing between the energy companies and DWP to let the energy companies know which of their customers is in receipt of this benefit. When a supplier is notified by Government, they can then credit an automatic discount to the customer's account. On this basis, in 2012-13, we expect around 1 million pensioners will receive an automatic discount. Customers who may be eligible for the discount but who cannot be identified by data sharing, will have the chance to claim. Over 85% of those who will receive the discount in 2012-13 are expected to be found automatically.
	All relevant pension credit customers who are or may be eligible will receive a letter from Government this winter, letting them know they will receive an automatic discount or that they may need to claim. Information about the scheme is available at:
	www.direct.gov/warmhome
	but as the Core Group is designed to find customers automatically, Government are not proactively promoting the Core Group to reduce raising the expectations of customers who will not be eligible.
	For the Broader Group, energy suppliers are responsible for promoting their own schemes to ensure that they are able to meet their broader group obligations. Information is available via both the:
	www.direct.gov/warmhome
	and DECC websites on the schemes suppliers have available and links directly to suppliers' application processes. Government also promote the support available through the Broader Group via its network of stakeholders.

Wind Power

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind projects were connected to the grid in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012 to date; and (A) how many projects and (B) what capacity commenced the planning process in (1) 2007, (2) 2008, (3) 2009, (4) January to May 2010, (5) May to December 2010, (6) 2011 and (7) 2012 to date.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 17 July 2012
	DECC does not maintain a record of when wind projects are first connected to the grid. However, DECC's Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD) does record when wind projects become fully operational. The REPD data showing the number of onshore and offshore wind projects that became fully operational in 2010, 2011 and 2012 is set out as follows.
	
		
			  2010 2011 2012   
			  Projects Capacity (MW) Projects Capacity (MW) Projects Capacity (MW) Total projects Total capacity (MW) 
			 Wind offshore 2 390 1 183.6 2 333.6 5 907.2 
			 Wind onshore 45 561.8 49 508.21 9 250.33 103 1,320.34 
			 Grand total 47 951.8 50 691.81 11 583.93 108 2,227.54 
		
	
	The following table shows the number and installed capacity in megawatts (MW) of operational wind projects in the UK as at May 2012.
	
		
			 Operational wind projects in the UK as at May 2012(1) 
			 Technology Operational 2010 RESTATS data Operational since January 2011 
			 Offshore Round 0 14.0 — 
			 Offshore round 1 962.4 150.0 
			 Offshore round 2 364.8 367.2 
			 Demonstration projects — — 
			 Offshore round 3 — — 
			 Offshore round 1 and 2 extensions — — 
			 Scottish Territorial Waters — — 
			 Wind offshore total 1,341.2 517.2 
			 Wind onshore 4,035.7 758.5 
			 Total 6,718.1 1,792.9 
			 (1) Source—Restats DECC datasheet May 2012 https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/datasheet 
		
	
	The following table shows (A) the number of onshore and offshore wind projects and (B) the capacity for which applications were submitted in (1) 2007, (2) 2008, (3) 2009, (4) January to May 2010, (5) May to December 2010, (6) 2011 and (7) 2012 to date.
	
		
			 Number and installed capacity of applications for UK onshore and offshore wind projects submitted since 2010(1) 
			  Onshore Offshore 
			  Number MW Number MW 
			 2007 128 2,145.35 3 618,80 
			 2008 138 2,075.38 2 770.0 
			 2009 172 3,216.23 4 1,426.0 
			 January to May 2010 71 974.07 0 0 
			 June to December 2010 89 944.58 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 302 2,482.15 1 504.0 
			 2012 to date 144 819.38 3 2,297.10 
			 (1) Source—Restats Planning Database Extract July 2012 https://restats.decc.gov.uk/app/reporting/decc/monthlyextract

CABINET OFFICE

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to Census data, what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens living in each EU member state either for part of the year or all year round; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Census data, what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens living in each EU member state either for part of the year or all year round; and if he will make a statement. (118459)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not collect information regarding UK nationals resident or working outside the UK. However, Eurostat publishes figures on population by citizenship for EU countries, these are available at:
	http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/population/data/database

Olympic Games 2012

Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what dates the Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee has met; and which such meetings were attended by the (a) Prime Minister, (b) Deputy Prime Minister and (c) Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Francis Maude: Although the Government publish the title, membership and terms of reference of Cabinet committees, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose when they meet or the details of their proceedings, including ministerial attendance.

Population

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the non-UK EU population of each nationality in each nation and region of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the non-UK EU population of each nationality in each nation and region of the UK; and if he will make a statement (118431).
	The Office for National Statistics collects information on nationality from the Annual Population Survey. These estimates, along with other published Population by Country of Birth and Nationality estimates relate to the 12 month period October 2010 to September 2011. These are the latest estimates available.
	The attached tables provide estimates of the number of non-UK EU nationals, split by UK constituent country and region. A copy of these tables has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	The 95% confidence interval refers to the margin of error, and is a measure of the uncertainty associated with making inferences from a sample.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of airlifting equipment and supplies out of Afghanistan should overland routes not be a viable option for withdrawal in 2014.

Peter Luff: Every effort is being made to ensure ground lines of communication (GLOCs) (overland routes into, and out of, Afghanistan) remain open. The Pakistani Government recently announced that they will reopen the Pakistani GLOC following a telephone conversation between US Secretary of State Clinton and Pakistan Foreign Minister Khar.
	NATO has also secured the necessary memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the central Asian republics that facilitate the northern distribution network (the northern entry or exit point to and from Afghanistan) which has been further reinforced by UK bilateral MOUs.
	Where there are no time pressures, low grade materiel equipment and supplies would be recovered by surface means in shipping containers. However, recovery by air forms a significant part of the UK redeployment plan particularly for protected mobility vehicles, sensitive materiel and outsized loads.
	The approximate costs of the redeployment of surface containers range from £5,000 to £12,000 per container. For the air line of communication, costs range between £10,000 and £30,000 per container equivalent, either returning directly to the UK by air or by a combination of air and other options. The detailed costs would vary depending on the scenario and would be subject to commercial in confidence considerations between the Ministry of Defence and partnered contractors.

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Queen Elizabeth Class ships will be configured to allow shipborne rolling vertical landing of the F-35B.

Peter Luff: That is our intention, and since the decision to revert to the short take off and vertical landing aircraft variant was announced in May 2012, the Ministry of Defence and Aircraft Carrier Alliance have been working to understand the challenges of integrating a shipborne rolling vertical landing capability into the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which fixed wing aircraft are capable of taking off and landing vertically on aircraft carriers.

Peter Luff: The short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter and the Harrier are currently the only aircraft capable of landing vertically on aircraft carriers.

Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that reductions in spending on the armed forces do not reduce their readiness for action.

Philip Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 14 May 2012, Official Report, column 261, on the Defence Budget and Transformation, where I explained that the best way I can support our armed forces as they restructure and refocus themselves for the future is to give them the assurance of stable and well-managed budgets and the confidence that the equipment programme is affordable and deliverable. We have achieved this, allowing our armed forces to move forward and to deliver the adaptable force structure described in the strategic defence and security review with confidence. The Army is confident that, through an expansion of reserves and their effective integration with the Regular Army, greater use of contractors and intelligent targeting of the manpower reductions in the support arms (where reserves and contractors can more readily play a role) the impact on military readiness is minimised.

Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish full details of the future allocation of resources to regular and reserve forces.

Philip Hammond: The additional £1.8 billion being invested over the next 10 years in reserves will be used to increase and develop the trained strength of the reserves and to enhance their capability. It will be allocated to increase recruiting and improve retention, to enhance training at all levels, and to provide more and better equipment. This investment has already begun and will enable reserve forces of all three armed services to play greater roles as integral elements of the whole force.

Armed Forces: Adjustment Disorder

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have been diagnosed with adjustment disorder since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Defence Analysis Statistics and Advice (DASA) records attendance by service personnel at the Ministry of Defence Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) and at in-patient facilities, including the results of the initial psychiatric assessment of all patients. These are reported on a quarterly basis on the DASA website:
	www.dasa.mod.uk
	Between 1 May 2010 and 31 March 2012 (the latest date for which published data are available) 3,021 UK armed forces personnel had at least one episode of care at a MOD DCMH or in-patient admission with an initial assessment for “adjustment disorder”.
	“Adjustment disorders” are a form of neurotic disorder, and the term covers a range of symptoms (including mood and anxiety symptoms as well as unhelpful coping behaviours) related to distress following exposure to a wide variety of stressful events. For most personnel, the prognosis is usually good if the exposure to the stressors ceases. They are distinct from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a variety of neurotic disorder that arises from a more defined stressor (one that involves significant perceived risk to oneself or a close person), has a well defined set of symptoms, and once established may be enduring if not managed appropriately.

Armed Forces: Amputation

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) medical services, (b) compensation and (c) mental health support are made available by his Department for service personnel requiring amputation.

Andrew Robathan: The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) at Headley Court houses a dedicated Prosthetics Unit which provides the highest quality prosthetics and adaptations, manufactured on site and individually tailored to the specific needs of the patient. Quality and fit of prosthetic limbs are of paramount importance in the rehabilitation process and, as part of the routine clinical care, every amputee case at DMRC is regularly assessed for the comfort and fit of their socket, and the alignment and functional quality of all components are checked every time the patient attends DMRC as either an in-patient or out-patient.
	The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) provides compensation for any injury, illness or death which is predominately caused by service, for all current and former members of the UK armed forces, including Reservists, who were injured, on or after 6 April 2005. Claims are submitted to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA).
	A full-time mental health team is based at DMRC, to ensure that the personnel being treated there can also receive mental health treatment on-site if they need it. New amputee in-patients receive a mental health assessment as part of their care programme, and ongoing care and support is provided as required.

Armed Forces: Discrimination

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to section 2 of the Armed Forces Act 2011, what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with the police on preventing discrimination against service people.

Andrew Robathan: Any discrimination against members of the armed forces community is to be abhorred, and we will continue to be alert to any cases which are brought to our attention. When such discrimination is experienced and reported, the local chain of command will work closely with the civil police and other appropriate bodies to tackle the problem.
	While I have had no direct discussions with civil authorities, we continue to work across Government to tackle any disadvantage incurred as a result of service.

Armed Forces: Discrimination

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to section 2 of the Armed Forces Act 2011, what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts in the (a) Department for Education (b) Department for Communities and Local Government and (c) Department of Health on preventing discrimination against service people.

Andrew Robathan: We continue to work across Government to tackle the prevention of disadvantage incurred as a result of service by our armed forces. The three Departments cited are members of the Cabinet Sub Committee on the Armed Forces Covenant, which meets regularly to consider how to ensure that service people are not disadvantaged or discriminated against compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.

Armed Forces: Mass Media

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the 2005 pledge that British forces would never deliberately target journalists or media facilities has been removed from the latest edition of his Department's Green Book.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2012, Official Report, column 751W.

Armed Forces: Postal Services

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps he has taken to ensure that firms recognise a British Forces Post Overseas address as a valid British address.

Andrew Robathan: The British Forces Post Office (BFPO) and Royal Mail have worked together to introduce UK-style postcodes for service personnel and their families serving overseas.
	The new online postcodes will help personnel serving overseas, and their families, by improving access to products and services from the internet, as envisaged under the Armed Forces Covenant. It will also help personnel maintain a UK credit history recognised by financial service providers.
	Released commercially in March 2012, companies have been able to update their internet services to accept BFPO numbers since April 2012.
	This will be a significant benefit for our forces and their families stationed overseas, who should enjoy exactly the same access to goods and services as UK residents.

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the level of skills lost from having made redundant service personnel with experience of serving in Afghanistan.

Andrew Robathan: Service personnel selected for redundancy have been chosen to reflect those ranks and specialisations which manpower planning indicates will be surplus as the armed forces reduce to their post-strategic defence and security review size.
	Individuals have been selected for redundancy by single service boards, whose remit has included ensuring that those who remain will provide the best fit of skills, experience and competences to meet the future needs of the armed forces.

Army

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the demographic analysis used to determine the selection of infantry battalions to be withdrawn from the Order of Battle as part of the Army 2020 review.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 12 July 2012
	Against a backdrop of needing to remove five battalions from the infantry order of battle as part of the wider Army 2020 structure, a number of criteria were applied by the Army which were: maintaining a regimental system which is largely regionally aligned; demographic sustainability of regiments according to projected regional supply of recruits; proportionality of outcome, with no cap badge deletions and no regiment losing more than one battalion in a re-organisation; balancing the whole infantry structure to maintain variety of roles and parity of opportunity of experience for officers and soldiers; taking account of previous decisions on mergers and deletions; historical manning performance; and ensuring a solution that the Army would see as fair and equitable.
	Based on demographic data available from the Office of National Statistics for the age cohort across the UK from which infantry recruits are drawn, and historical trends in terms of the percentage of that cohort likely to join the Army, an assessment was made of which regiments were likely to be the least sustainable in the future if they retained their current structure. This work also included a comparison of each regiment's historical outflow so the likely recruiting requirement could be determined.
	The analysis showed that those regiments likely to be the least sustainable in future were the Royal Regiment of Scotland (predicted to be 1.75 battalions short), The Yorkshire Regiment (predicted to be 0.8 battalions short), The Mercian Regiment (predicted to be 0.56 battalions short) and the Royal Welsh Regiment (predicted to be 0.55 battalions short). It was therefore decided to remove one battalion from each of those regiments.
	After the removal of four battalions, the method for predicting future sustainability became less statistically discerning. Therefore to determine the fifth battalion to be removed from the order of battle required the application of criteria that went wider than demographics. Historical manning performance and the need to maintain equity of opportunity meant that the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (with average historical undermanning of 13.3% since the previous reorganisation of the infantry in 2007, and being a regiment with two battalions) was the next appropriate regiment from which to withdraw a battalion.
	The analysis showed that after the withdrawal of five battalions from across the infantry, future manning should be sustainable with sufficient recruits predicted to fill the necessary posts across all battalions.

Army

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the established unit strength will be 
	(1)  of (a) 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, (b) 2nd Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, (c) 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, (d) 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (e) 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (f) the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, (g) 5th Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, (h) 1st Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, (i) The Queen's Royal Hussars, (j) 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, (k) 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, (l) 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles, (m) 1st Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, (n) 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, (o) 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles, (p) 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, (q) the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (r) the Household Cavalry Regiment, (s) the Queen's Dragoon Guards, (t) the merged unit of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers and the Queen's Royal Lancers and (u) the merged unit of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment and the 1st Royal Tank Regiment under his Army 2020 proposals;
	(2)  of (a) 1st Battalion, The Coldstream Guards, (b) 2nd Battalion, The Tigers, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, (c) The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, (d) the public duties companies of the Brigade of Guards, (e) 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, (f) 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, (g) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (h) 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment, (i) 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, (j) 4th Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, (k) The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (l) 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, (m) 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, (n) Royal Dragoon Guards, (o) 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, (p) 1st Battalion, (Vikings), The Royal Anglian Regiment, (q) 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, (r) The Welsh Guards, (s) The King's Royal Hussars, (t) The Light Dragoons, (u) 1st Battalion, The Grenadier Guards, (v) 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh and (w) the Royal Welch Fusiliers under his Army 2020 proposals.

Nick Harvey: In the future Army Structure outlined under Army 2020, the allocation of roles to individual Infantry Battalions and Royal Armoured Corps Regiments is yet to be decided. It is therefore too early to provide the established strength of each of the units listed in the question.
	However, when allocated, total unit strengths based on their specific role are expected to be as in the following table:
	
		
			 Unit role Unit strength 
			 Armoured Infantry 729 
			 Armoured (Heavy) Protected Mobility Infantry 709 
			 Light Protected Mobility Infantry 581 
			 Light Role Infantry 561 
			 Royal Gurkha Rifles 567 
			 Parachute Regiment 660 
			 T56 Armoured Regiment 587 
			 Armoured Cavalry Regiment 528 
		
	
	
		
			 Light Cavalry Regiment 404 
			 Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment 341 
		
	
	The exact establishments of the London Based Public Duties Incremental Company (PDIC) and Scottish based PDIC remain under review although current planning figures are around 90 and 140 personnel respectively.
	All unit strengths include other arms attached to the units such as Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Army Medical Corps, Adjutant General Corps (Staff and Personnel Support), Royal Logistic Corps, Royal Army Physical Training Corps and Royal Army Chaplains Department personnel.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many multi-role brigades the Army will have by 2020.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085, in which he said that a future structure for the Army based on reaction forces, comprising 16 Air Assault Brigade and three armoured infantry brigades, adaptable forces, comprising seven infantry brigades of varying size and force troops.
	Between them these will be able to generate the same operational output as five multi-role brigades but in a more flexible way.

Army

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in each of the 17 major units affected by the Army 2020 review.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 13 July 2012
	I refer the right hon. Member to the Statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1087-88, in which he announced changes to a number of units that will be withdrawn, amalgamated or merged resulting in the reduction overall of 17 units.
	The following table shows the total number of regular Army personnel, both officers and soldiers, employed within each of the units affected:
	
		
			 Establishment Total Regular Army personnel employed 
			 9th/12th Lancers 371 
			 Queens Royal Lancers 485 
			 1st Royal Tank Regiment 351 
			 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 526 
			 39 Regiment Royal Artillery 581 
			 24 Commando Engineer Regiment 369 
			 28 Engineer Regiment 536 
			 67 Works Group Royal Engineers 58 
			 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 SCOTS) 582 
			 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2RRF) 619 
		
	
	
		
			 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (2 YORKS) 588 
			 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (3 MERCIAN) 630 
			 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (2 R WELSH) 762 
			 1 Regiment Army Air Corps 336 
			 9 Regiment Army Air Corps 450 
			 1 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 536 
			 2 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 508 
			 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 556 
			 101 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 235 
			 5th Regiment Royal Military Police 200 
		
	
	These figures comprise all regular Army personnel under the command of the unit's commanding officer and therefore include Army personnel from other arms and corps employed at the unit.
	An individual in a unit which is being withdrawn or merged is no more or less likely than any other individual with similar skills and service record to be selected for future redundancy. When units are withdrawn from the Army's order of battle their personnel will be reassigned to other units, where possible within the same regiment.

Army

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps his Department plans to take to deliver Future Force 2020 as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The Ministry of Defence Business Plan 2012-15 sets out the key actions we are taking to restructure the armed forces and their capabilities to deliver the Future Force 2020 capability, as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review and other subsequent announcements.

Army

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to page 24 of his Department's publication, Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review, published in October 2010, when he plans that the five multi-role brigades will be established.

Nick Harvey: The Army 2020 proposition offers the best solution for a combined force of 120,000 regular and reservist soldiers. It will deliver three armoured infantry brigades in the Reactive Force and seven brigades in the Adaptive Force. This force structure will be multi-role in nature and will deliver the same Defence outputs as the Army force structure envisaged in the 2010 strategic defence and security review.

Army: Recruitment

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the (a) recruitment targets and (b) levels of recruitment (including shortfalls) were for each of the Scottish regiments for each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the (a) recruitment targets and (b) levels of recruitment (including shortfalls) were for (i) 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, (ii) 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, (iii) 3rd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment and (iv) 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh for each of the last 10 years.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 10 July 2012
	The Army sets recruitment targets at regimental level. Recruits are then allocated to the battalion within their chosen regiment where the demand is greatest. Priority is given to battalions preparing for operations.
	The following table shows the overall manning position at April of each year—by Regiment—including establishment and recruiting performance for each of the last 10 years: Recruitment targets prior to 2007 are not held centrally in the format requested.
	
		
			   2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Average +/- % of strength Average +/- % of establishment 
			 Scots Guards Establishment 632 691 691 711 713 709 706 709 709 703 — — 
			  Strength 547 632 620 589 623 682 568 655 655 645 — — 
			  +/- -85 -59 -71 -122 -90 -27 -138 -54 -54 -58 -12 -10 
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 102 146 142 172 198 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 101 147 139 170 143 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -1 1 -3 -2 -55 — — 
			               
			 Royal Regt Scotland Establishment 2,704 2,760 2,759 2,766 2,780 2,788 2,818 2,782 2,775 2,764 — — 
			  Strength 2,323 2,483 2,386 2,269 2,461 2,518 2,311 2,332 2,376 2,410 — — 
			  +/- -381 -277 -373 -497 -319 -270 -507 -450 -399 -354 -16 -14 
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 486 545 688 455 671 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 262 311 639 456 641 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -224 -234 -49 1 -30 — — 
			               
			 Royal Regt Fusiliers Establishment 1,112 1,112 1,112 1,142 1,142 1,138 1,141 1,112 1,109 1,131 — — 
			  Strength 957 1,034 1,025 978 961 940 924 1,062 1,087 1,124 — — 
			  +/- -155 -78 -87 -164 -181 -198 -217 -50 -22 -7 -12 -10 
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 310 304 289 242 256 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 263 289 274 242 241 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -47 -15 -15 0 -15 — — 
			               
			 Yorkshire Regt Establishment 1,638 1,667 1,667 1,643 1,643 1,678 1,676 1,676 1,664 1,664 — — 
			  Strength 1,571 1,616 1,608 1,498 1,462 1,334 1,352 1,382 1,392 1,488 — — 
			  +/- -67 -51 -59 -145 -181 -344 -324 -294 -272 -176 -13 -12 
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 425 450 441 387 481 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 280 355 426 372 371 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -145 -95 -15 -15 -110 — — 
			               
			 Mercian Regt Establishment 1,626 1,626 1,667 1,668 1,668 1,667 1,647 1,676 1,671 1,664 — — 
			  Strength 1,506 1,491 1,476 1,352 1,344 1,384 1,453 1,552 1,498 1,440 — — 
			  +/- -120 -135 -191 -316 -324 -283 -194 -124 -173 -224 -14 -13 
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 483 513 395 270 432 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 386 456 381 266 439 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -97 -57 -14 -4 7 — — 
			               
			 Royal Welsh Establishment 1,141 1,141 1,141 1,142 1,142 1,140 1,138 1,138 1,132 1,102 — — 
			  Strength 1,108 1,108 1,027 975 908 932 1,025 1,072 1,030 1,030 — — 
			  +/- -33 -33 -114 -167 -234 -208 -113 -66 -102 -72 -11 -10 
		
	
	
		
			  Recruiting target (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 288 297 268 180 273 — — 
			  Actual (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 230 264 254 177 278 — — 
			  +/- (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— -58 -33 -14 -3 5 — — 
		
	
	The recruitment target figures for 2010-11 are artificially low due to a nine-month pause in infantry training. This affected regiments differently depending on where their training slots were on the Infantry Training Centre programme during that year.
	The following table shows the manning levels of specified battalions, complete with establishment and strength as at April of each year.
	
		
			   2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Average +/- % of strength Average +/- % of establishment 
			 2nd Btn Royal Regt Fusiliers Establishment 526 526 526 534 534 533 536 536 533 532 — — 
			  Strength 451 496 490 439 452 435 437 519 514 523 — — 
			  +/- -75 -30 -36 -95 -82 -98 -99 -17 -19 -9 -12 -10 
			               
			 2nd Btn Yorkshire Regt Establishment 526 526 526 534 534 535 533 533 532 532 — — 
			  Strength 464 479 488 474 438 423 420 415 451 487 — — 
			  +/- -62 -47 -38 -60 -96 -112 -113 -118 -81 -45 -17 -14 
			               
			 3rd Btn Mercian Regt Establishment 545 545 586 608 608 576 576 605 605 604 — — 
			  Strength 516 538 527 458 470 501 511 555 560 507 — — 
			  +/- -29 -7 -59 -150 -138 -75 -65 -50 -45 -97 -14 -12 
			               
			 2nd Btn Royal Welsh Establishment 586 586 586 608 608 606 605 605 605 575 — — 
			  Strength 563 546 495 561 470 475 536 567 538 529 — — 
			  +/- -23 -40 -91 -47 -138 -131 -69 -38 -67 -46 -13 -11 
			               
			 1 Btn Scots Establishment 527 527 527 534 535 543 540 540 540 535 — — 
			  Strength 422 471 436 403 524 642 459 498 465 517 — — 
			  +/- -105 -56 -91 -131 -11 99 -81 -42 -75 -18 -11 -10 
			               
			 2 Btn Scots Establishment 527 527 527 534 535 535 533 533 533 528 — — 
			  Strength 456 463 466 423 449 459 443 451 494 448 — — 
			  +/- -71 -64 -61 -111 -86 -76 -90 -82 -39 -80 -16 -14 
			               
			 3 Btn Scots Establishment 590 571 571 534 538 538 608 543 537 537 — — 
			  Strength 519 524 533 516 497 465 537 447 430 520 — — 
			  +/- -71 -47 -38 -18 -41 -73 -71 -96 -107 -17 -12 -10 
			               
			 4 Btn Scots Establishment 530 590 590 608 612 612 604 608 608 608 — — 
			  Strength 430 509 500 508 544 500 434 446 461 460 — — 
			  +/- -100 -81 -90 -100 -68 -112 -170 -162 -147 -148 -24 -19 
			               
		
	
	
		
			 5 Btn Scots Establishment 530 545 544 556 560 560 533 558 557 556 — — 
			  Strength 496 516 451 419 447 452 438 490 526 465 — — 
			  +/- -34 -29 -93 -137 -113 -108 -95 -68 -31 -91 -17 -14 
		
	
	Recruiting performance over the last 10 years was just one of a number of criteria used to determine which Infantry battalions would be withdrawn under Army 2020. Maintaining an appropriate and effective structure to deliver military outputs has been the major driver of the reconfiguration. The Army has also considered demographic trends over the next 10 years in each region to model future recruitment expectations. Regional and national affiliations, the merger and disbandment history of individual battalions and existing commitments of battalions to future operations was also taken into account with a requirement that no regiment should lose more than one battalion. The overriding objective has been to arrive at a solution that those currently serving in the Army will see as fair and equitable.

AWE: Research

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which universities receive funding for research commissioned by the Atomic Weapons Establishment; and what the nature is of such funded research.

Peter Luff: I will write to the hon. Member once the information has been collated.
	Substantive answer from Gerald Howarth to Angus Robertson:
	In his written answer to your Parliamentary Question on 10 July 2012 (Official Report, column 199W), Peter Luff promised to write to you confirming which universities receive funding for research commissioned by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE); and what the nature is of such funded research. I am now in a position to provide you with a substantive answer.
	The following universities received funding for research commissioned by AWE in the financial year 2011-2012:
	Cranfield University;
	Heriot-Watt University;
	Imperial College (including Imperial College Consultants Ltd);
	Keele University;
	Loughborough University;
	Queens University Belfast;
	University College London;
	University of Bath;
	University of Bristol;
	University of Cambridge;
	University of Edinburgh;
	University of Leeds;
	University of Leicester;
	University of Liverpool;
	University of Manchester;
	University of Oxford;
	University of Portsmouth Higher Education Corporation;
	University of Reading;
	University of Salford;
	University of Southampton;
	University of Strathclyde;
	University of Surrey;
	University of Warwick;
	University of York; and
	University Court of the University Of St Andrews.
	The nature of the research undertaken by the universities falls within the following areas:
	Physics, which includes numerical modelling, uncertainty analysis, computational fluid dynamics, shock physics, plasma physics and solid mechanics;
	Materials science, ranging from chemical synthesis of polymers and adhesives through to properties of energetics (explosives), metallurgy, computational chemistry and nuclear materials;
	High performance computing focusing on the development of computer algorithms and future energy efficient computing platforms; and
	Engineering and manufacturing, which includes developing sensor technologies, electronic components and integrated circuits both for experimental and project use.
	In addition, AWE also commission academic involvement in the areas of nuclear detection techniques and nuclear forensics.

British Telecom

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the contract with BT to provide cyber security in each of the next seven years.

Gerald Howarth: BT provides cyber security for the Ministry of Defence through the Watchtower contract, which runs until the end of financial year 2018-19.
	The cost of the contract in each of the next seven years is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Total cost (£million) 
			 2012-13 2.7 
			 2013-14 2 
			 2014-15 1.5 
			 2015-16 1.5 
			 2016-17 2.7 
			 2017-18 1.5 
			 2018-19 1.5

Defence Equipment and Support

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which organisations and businesses he plans to consult regarding the proposal to bring forward a Government-owned contractor-operated body to replace Defence Equipment and Support.

Peter Luff: Once a decision on the proposed future operating model option for Defence Equipment and Support is taken later this year, we will ensure that all interested parties have the opportunity to contribute to the debate, both in Parliament and more widely. This will involve discussion not just with industry, international partners, staff representatives and specialist organisations but with those in both Houses who have expertise in this area. We will provide further details on the way forward in the autumn to enable such discussions to take place in an informed and constructive way.

Defence: Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 438W, on defence procurement, how many of the urgent operational requirements delivered, or planned for delivery, later than originally approved are projected to be more than (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 18 months and (d) 24 months later than the original date.

Gerald Howarth: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The information requested is currently being verified. I will write to my hon. Friend when this has been completed.

Defence: Procurement

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value is of the Royal Navy's contracts for (a) Type 45 destroyers, (b) Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and (c) Astute Class attack submarines; and when each vessel being built under these contracts is due to come into service. [R]

Gerald Howarth: The current value of the contracts for the Type 45 destroyers is £5.577 billion. Timescales for in-service delivery of the programme are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  In-service date 
			 Daring 2010 
			 Dauntless 2010 
			 Diamond 2011 
			 Dragon 2012 
			 Defender 2013 
			 Duncan 2014 
		
	
	The current value of the contract for the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC), excluding the engineering transition stage and Ministry of Defence project costs, is £4.45 billion. When these components are included, the agreed final target cost is £5.24 billion.
	Following the decision to revert to a Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing design, the programme, including in-service dates, is currently being reviewed to develop updated costs and revised schedules for the delivery of the ships. Our aim, as set out by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) in his statement on 10 May 2012, Official Report, columns 140-153, is to begin sea trials in 2017 and undertake aircraft trials in 2018. The revised programme will be subject to re-approval in due course.
	Astute Class contracts are currently valued at £6.109 billion. This includes design and development, support studies and long lead items. The current timescales for in-service delivery of the Astute Class are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  In-service date 
			 Astute 2010 
			 Ambush 2013 
			 Artful 2015 
			 Audacious 2018 
			 Anson 2020 
			 Boat 6 2022 
			 Boat 7 2024

Defence: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what projects are on the Single Integrated Capability Priority List; and what the projected cost is of each project.

Peter Luff: The Single Integrated Capability Priority List consists of a range of programmes and enhancements to which the Ministry of Defence has made no decision to commit funds. The list will change over time in response to changing threats, emerging technologies and a range of other factors. I am withholding the information requested on the basis that its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces and the conduct of public affairs. Furthermore, its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice commercial interests.

Defence: Procurement

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which firms his Department has signed contracts to provide contractors for roles in theatre since May 2010.

Peter Luff: It is assumed that “in theatre” relates to operations in Afghanistan. The following companies have been issued contracts since 1 May 2010, where all or part of the associated work has been undertaken in Afghanistan:
	WYG Management Services Ltd
	Contrack International Inc
	Security Services Group
	Defence Support Group (Ministry of Defence Trading Fund)
	Thales ATM Ltd
	Sippi Azarbaijani-Moghaddam
	Actica Consulting Ltd
	Kellogg Brown and Root Ltd
	Systems Consultants Services Ltd
	Marshall Specialist Vehicles Ltd
	Finning (UK) Ltd
	Technogym UK Ltd
	L.A. International Computer Consultants Ltd
	Thebigword Interpreting Services Ltd.
	This list does not include those companies which may have received other miscellaneous payments, as the location of work for such payments is not recorded.

Defence: Procurement

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the urgent question of 17 July 2012, on defence procurement, whether defence procurement is subject to European single market procurement rules.

Peter Luff: Defence procurement is subject to EU Single Market rules for public procurement, although there are certain exclusions such as article 346 (known as the warlike stores exemption) of the Lisbon treaty which may be used in exceptional circumstances.

Depleted Uranium

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the review into the legality of CHARM3 depleted uranium ammunition required by Article 36 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Convention in the Library.

Nick Harvey: The CHARM3 legal weapons review is being withheld to protect legal professional privilege, the policy-making process and relations between the United Kingdom and other states.
	The review conclusion, that CHARM3 was capable of being used lawfully by UK armed forces in international armed conflict and the rationale behind it, was laid before the House in a written ministerial statement on 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 40-41WS.

Filming

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions property owned by his Department has been used in commercial filming in each location in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the income to his Department from commercial filming on its property in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) Scotland and (e) overseas in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The responsibility for income generation is delegated locally and the details of the locations used and the income generated from filming are not distinguishable from other third-party use of the Ministry of Defence estate.

Horses

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 514W, on horses, what the cost of feeding and bedding ceremonial horses has been in each 12 month period since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: The cost of feeding and bedding ceremonial horses for each financial year (FY) since April 2008 is assessed as follows:
	FY 2008-09 (1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009): £1 million
	FY 2009-10 (1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010): £1 million
	FY 2010-11 (1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011): £1 million
	FY 2011-12 (1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012): £1.2 million.

Horses

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 514W, on horses, what the total number is of ceremonial horses used by his Department.

Andrew Robathan: Military working animals play an important role working alongside our armed forces. Horses are used for ceremonial purposes throughout the year on the daily Changing the Guard and at annual events such as Trooping the Colour, the state opening of Parliament and state visits. In addition, they are regularly called upon to undertake duties at other state ceremonial occasions such as royal weddings and funerals as well as more recently the diamond jubilee celebrations. These ceremonial activities form an important part of our national heritage and help to raise the profile of our armed forces.
	The total number of horses employed on ceremonial duties as at 13 July 2012 is 417. A further 82 horses were held by the Defence Animal Centre for rest or treatment, for use as training horses, or waiting to be re-homed on their retirement. In addition two ponies are kept by the Parachute Regiment as mascots.

Horses and Dogs

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) horses and (b) dogs were euthanised by his Department in each month in 2012; and for what reasons in each case.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence's policy is to re-home all military working dogs and horses at the end of their service life wherever practicable. Regrettably, however, there are occasions when military working animals have to be put down. This action is only ever taken as a last resort, where it is judged unsafe to re-home the animal because of the risk they pose to the public or where veterinary reasons indicate that re-homing them would conflict with the animal's welfare.
	Between January 2012 to June 2012, 11 horses have been put down for the following reasons:
	
		
			 Month Number of horses Reason(s) Number 
			 January 4 Dangerous Temperament 1 
			   Chronic Lameness 3 
			     
			 February 0   
			     
			 March 0   
			     
			 April 2 Chronic Lameness 1 
			   Injury 1 
			     
			 May 2 Malignancy 1 
			   Chronic Lameness 1 
			     
			 June 3 Colic 2 
			   Chronic Lameness 1 
		
	
	A total of 24 military work dogs were put down during the same period, for the following reasons:
	
		
			 Month Number of dogs Reason(s) Number 
			 January 2 Aged—welfare 1 
			   Malignancy 1 
			     
			 February 9 Neurological 3 
			   Aged—welfare 4 
			   Chronic ear disease 1 
			   Abdominal catastrophe 1 
		
	
	
		
			 March 3 Blindness 1 
			   Osteoarthritis 1 
			   Malignancy 1 
			     
			 April 7 Neurological 3 
			   Malignancy 2 
			   Osteoarthritis 2 
			     
			 May 2 Dangerous temperament 1 
			   Osteoarthritis 1 
			     
			 June 1 Catastrophic wound breakdown 1 
		
	
	Comparative figures for the months January to June for 2009 to 2011 for the number of horses euthanised are eight, 12 and 17 respectively as detailed in the following tables:
	
		
			  Month Number of horses Reason(s) Number 
			 2009 January 3 Unspecified 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 1 
			    Aged—Welfare 1 
			      
			  February 3 Chronic Lameness 3 
			      
			  March 2 Post Op complications 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 1 
			      
			  April 0   
			      
			  May 0   
			      
			  June 0   
		
	
	
		
			  Month Number of horses Reason(s) Number 
			 2010 January 4 Untreatable fracture 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 3 
			      
			  February 2 Chronic Lameness 1 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			      
			  March 0   
			      
			  April 1 Chronic Lameness 1 
			      
			  May 3 Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 2 
		
	
	
		
			  June 2 Untreatable fracture 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Month Number of horses Reason(s) Number 
			 2011 January 2 Malignancy 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 1 
			      
			  February 4 Chronic Lameness 1 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Neurological 1 
			    Untreatable fracture 1 
			      
			  March 0   
			      
			  April 3 Chronic Lameness 1 
			    Colic 2 
			      
			  May 3 Neurological 1 
			    Colic 2 
			      
			  June 5 Untreatable fracture 1 
			    Chronic Lameness 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Colic 1 
		
	
	Comparative figures for the months January to June 2009 to 2011 for the number of dogs euthanised are 21, 49 and 46 respectively, as detailed in the following tables:
	
		
			  Month Number of dogs Reason(s) Number 
			 2009 January 6 Aged—Welfare 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Osteoarthritis 1 
			    Abdominal Catastrophe 1 
			    Renal Disease 1 
			      
			  February 4 Osteoarthritis 1 
			    Gastrointestinal disease 1 
			    Post-op complications 1 
			    Neurological 1 
			      
			  March 1 Prostatic disease 1 
			      
			  April 3 Osteoarthritis 1 
		
	
	
		
			    Aged—Welfare 1 
			    Malignancy 1 
			      
			  May 2 Neurological 1 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			      
			  June 5 Unspecified 1 
			    Aged—Welfare 2 
			    Neurological 1 
			    Osteoarthritis 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Month Number of dogs Reason(s) Number 
			 2010 January 2 Osteoarthritis 1 
			    Aged—Welfare 1 
			      
			  February 8 Aged—Welfare 5 
			    Spinal Injury 1 
			    Abdominal Catastrophe 1 
			    Neurological 1 
			      
			  March 12 Aged—Welfare 8 
			    Dangerous Temperament 2 
			    Neurological 1 
			    Cardiac Disease 1 
			      
			  April 9 Neurological 2 
			    Aged—Welfare 4 
			    Gracilis contracture 1 
			    Dangerous Temperament 2 
			      
			  May 11 Dangerous Temperament 4 
			    Aged—Welfare 5 
			    Cardiac disease 2 
			      
			  June 7 Unspecified 1 
			    Aged—Welfare 2 
			    Anal furunculosis 1 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Neurological 1 
			    Osteoarthritis 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Month Number of dogs Reason(s) Number 
			 2011 January 2 Abdominal Catastrophe 1 
		
	
	
		
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			      
			  February 11 Osteoarthritis 4 
			    Neurological 1 
			    Aged—Welfare 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Catastrophic fracture(s) 1 
			    Neurological 2 
			      
			  March 13 Abdominal Catastrophe 1 
			    Osteoarthritis 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 2 
			    Malignancy 2 
			    Aged—Welfare 5 
			    Neurological 1 
			      
			  April 4 Neurological 2 
			    Coagulopathy 1 
			    Peritonitis 1 
			      
			  May 4 Neurological 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Severe injuries 1 
			      
			  June 12 Malignancy 2 
			    Aged—Welfare 5 
			    Neurological 2 
			    Dangerous Temperament 1 
			    Unspecified 1 
			    Osteoarthritis 1

Iraq-Kuwait Conflict

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's mortality statistics on the causes of death among Gulf War Veterans and Gulf War Era Veterans for the period of 1 April 1991 to 31 December 2011, how many veterans from each group (a) died of each cause of death, (b) served in each branch of the services and (c) had been diagnosed with (i) primary lateral sclerosis, (ii) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (iii) neurological condition of unknown aetiology, (iv) post traumatic stress syndrome and (v) spastic paraparesis.

Andrew Robathan: The following table provides a breakdown by Service and cohort for the Gulf 1 Veterans mortality National Statistic.
	
		
			 Service at time of Gulf Gulf Era Comparison Group 
			 All 53,409 53,143 
			 Naval Service 5,964 5,958 
		
	
	
		
			 Army 37,390 37,126 
			 Royal Air Force 10,055 10,059 
		
	
	Information on causes of death, and diagnosis of illness, beyond the breakdown already provided in the 1990-1991 Gulf Conflict—UK Gulf Veterans Mortality Data: Causes of Death, would require a search of individual medical records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of US Congressional reports suggesting the cancellation of the F-35B variant; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such reports on his plans to purchase that aircraft type.

Peter Luff: The US Government are currently reviewing all its defence spending plans for the next decade. Our assessment is that the F35-B variant will not be cancelled and that the US is committed to all three variants of the F35, and this was confirmed most recently by the US Secretary for Defence, Leon Panetta, when he met the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), in the US. The UK remains committed to the F35-B programme.

Manchester Declaration

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent contribution his Department and its non-departmental public bodies and agencies have made to implementation of the 2005 Manchester Declaration.

Andrew Robathan: Since the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not predominantly a citizen-facing Department, work under the banner of implementation of the Manchester Declaration has not been collated centrally. However, the MOD has and continues to deliver a range of outputs and initiatives consistent with its aims and intent.
	As part of the Cabinet Office-led work on the single domain for Government, gov.uk, the MOD website is due to close by the end of 2012 with all content migrating into gov.uk. The MOD is one of five trail-blazing Departments taking part in this early stage of populating gov.uk.
	Increasingly, social media is used to communicate messages about Defence and its outputs and to engage and encourage interaction with the public. There is an official MOD presence on YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.
	Within the MOD there is an ongoing programme of roll-out and continuous improvement of electronic services to deliver business processes more effectively and efficiently in areas including procurement, travel, logistics, human resources and finance.

Mercian Regiment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral question from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1097, what the annual recruitment to the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (the Staffords) has been since 2007; and what modelling was undertaken by the army with regard to the proposed disbanding of that battalion.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The Army sets recruitment targets at regimental level. Recruits are then allocated to the battalion within their chosen regiment where the demand is greatest. Priority is given to battalions preparing for operations.
	The following table shows the overall manning position at April of each year of The Mercian Regiment—including establishment and recruiting performance since 2007 (figures for 2007 are not available centrally):
	
		
			 Mercian Regiment 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Establishment 1,667 1,647 1,676 1,671 1,664 
			 Strength 1,384 1,453 1,552 1,498 1,440 
			 +/- -283 -194 -124 -173 -224 
			 Recruiting Tgt 483 513 395 270 432 
			 Actual 386 456 381 266 439 
			 +/- -97 -57 -14 -4 7 
		
	
	The recruitment target figures for 2010-11 are artificially low due to a nine-month pause in infantry training. This affected regiments differently depending on where their training slots were on the Infantry Training Centre programme during that year.
	The following table shows the manning levels of the 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, complete with establishment and strength as at April of each year.
	
		
			 3rd Btn Mercian Regt 
			  2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Establishment 545 545 586 608 608 576 576 605 605 604 
			 Strength 516 538 527 458 470 501 511 555 560 507 
			 +/- -29 -7 -59 -150 -138 -75 -65 -50 -45 -97 
		
	
	To determine which five battalions to remove from the infantry order of battle as part of the wider Army 2020 structure, the Army applied a number of criteria, which were:
	maintaining a regimental system which is largely regionally aligned; demographic sustainability of regiments according to projected regional supply of recruits;
	proportionality of outcome, with no cap badge deletions and no regiment losing more than one battalion in a re-organisation;
	balancing the whole infantry structure to maintain variety of roles and parity of opportunity of experience for officers and soldiers;
	taking account of previous decisions on mergers and deletions;
	historical manning performance; and
	ensuring a solution that the Army would see as fair and equitable.
	Based on demographic data available from the Office of National Statistics for the age cohort across the UK from which infantry recruits are drawn—and historical trends in terms of the percentage of that cohort likely to join the Army—an assessment was made of which regiments were likely to be the least sustainable in the future if they retained their current structure. This work also included a comparison of each regiment's historical outflow so the likely recruiting requirement could be determined. This showed that the Mercian Regiment were one of the regiments from whom a battalion would need to be removed if it were to be sustainable in manning terms by 2020. Selection of which battalion should be withdrawn was based largely on the fact that while the 1st and 2nd Battalions are already based in the UK, the 3rd Battalion would need to be returned from Germany incurring the cost of new barracks, which we are attempting to minimise where possible.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the value of maintenance contracts for (a) Tornado, (b) Typhoon and (c) Sea King aircraft in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how much was spent on maintenance work on (a) Tornado, (b) Typhoon and (c) Sea King aircraft in each location where each is permanently based in each of the last three years.

Peter Luff: Information on the expenditure against the principal support and maintenance contracts for each type of aircraft in each of the last three financial years is contained in following table:
	
		
			 £ million (approximate) 
			  Financial year 
			 Aircraft type 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Tornado 334 328 378 
			 Typhoon 457 476 506 
			 Sea King 116 121 126 
		
	
	It is not possible to disaggregate expenditure for each aircraft type by location as the contracts are not let on this basis.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what type of maintenance is carried out on the Tornado aircraft at (a) RAF Lossiemouth and (b) RAF Marham;
	(2)  what type of maintenance is carried out on the Typhoon aircraft at (a) RAF Leuchars and (b) RAF Coningsby.

Peter Luff: Tornado aircraft undergo forward maintenance at RAF Lossiemouth and both forward and depth maintenance at RAF Marham. Typhoon aircraft undergo forward maintenance at RAF Leuchars and both forward and depth maintenance at RAF Coningsby.
	Forward maintenance is concerned with preparing aircraft for use and keeping them in day-to-day working order. Depth maintenance involves the scheduled maintenance of aircraft and aircraft components, including the substantial disassembly of aircraft. Depth maintenance can also involve unplanned major maintenance due to faults or damage, and major conversion, modification and overhaul work.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) flight simulators, (b) ground instructional aircraft and (c) inertial guidance systems trainers are permanently based in Scotland; what type of equipment each such unit is; and where each such unit is based.

Peter Luff: The number, type and location of flight simulators, ground instructional aircraft and inertial guidance systems trainers permanently based in Scotland are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Type of equipment Location Total 
			 Flight Simulators Tornado GR4 RAF Lossiemouth (1)2 
			 Ground Instructional Aircraft Tornado GR4 RAF Lossiemouth 1 
			 Ground Instructional Aircraft Tornado GR1 RAF Lossiemouth 1 
			 Inertial Guidance Systems Trainers Tornado Navigation Attack and Systems Trainer RAF Lossiemouth (1)1 
			 (1) Owned and operated by Thales UK.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many units of Merlin helicopter training equipment are permanently based in Scotland; and where each such equipment is kept.

Peter Luff: No Merlin helicopter training equipment is permanently based in Scotland. Merlins are based at RNAS Culdrose for the Royal Navy and at RAF Benson for the RAF. The UK's Defence footprint is organised, resourced and managed on a UK-wide basis to meet operational needs.

Military Bases

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on the future of Dreghorn and Redford barracks; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Following the Army 2020 statement by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, detailed planning work is now being undertaken by the Army and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to determine the future basing of Army units as part of the overall footprint strategy. It is expected that plans will be announced by the end of 2012.

Military Exercises

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from 5 SCOTS took part in Exercise Gaulish Hackle; and at what estimated cost to the public purse.

Nick Harvey: Exercise Gaulish Hackle involved two companies from 5 SCOTS in an urban training exercise at facilities in France. The exercise took place in two phases. Each phase involved 148 personnel, making a total of 296 and was part of the planned training required by the companies in their current role as part of the lead battle group for the Airborne Task Force within 16 Air Assault Brigade.
	The exercise is part of a reciprocal exchange activity with the French. The estimated cost to the public purse was approximately £17,900 overall, expended on the transport of 5 SCOTS to and from France. The cost of the services provided by the French is unknown, but included items such as accommodation and food.

Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the specialist skills of the Ministry of Defence police's criminal investigation department; what assessment he has made of the potential for those skills to be put to wider use; if he will assess the potential for such an enlarged role to improve value for money; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 27 March 2012, Official Report, columns 116-19WS. We recognise the specialist skills of the Ministry of Defence Police Criminal Investigation Department (MDP CID) and intend to reprioritise and rationalise the MDP CID to focus on the crimes that most significantly affect the Defence interest to form part of a co-ordinated pan-departmental strategy to combat fraud and other acquisitive crime against Defence.

Nuclear Weapons

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the nuclear deterrent programme in the last year.

Philip Hammond: As stated in the White Paper, The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994) published in December 2006, the in-service costs of the UK's nuclear deterrent are around 5% of the defence budget. This is expected to remain the case during the current spending review period, which covers the financial years 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Official Visits

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) he and (b) each other Minister in his Department has visited (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales and (iii) each English region (A) between May 2010 and October 2011 and (B) since October 2011.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is provided in the following tables:
	Between May 2010 and 31 October 2011:
	
		
			  Secretary of State Minister for the Armed Forces Minister for International Security Strategy Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans Under Secretary of State 
			 Scotland 7 3 1 5 2 0 
			 Wales 1 0 1 2 0 0 
			 North-east 4 0 3 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2 0 0 1 0 0 
			 North-west 1 0 3 2 2 0 
			 East midlands 0 3 4 0 3 1 
			 West midlands 0 3 1 1 3 1 
			 South-east 9 5 13 8 6 6 
			 South-west 8 15 10 18 5 6 
			 London 32 6 6 2 8 1 
			 Eastern England 0 7 2 3 3 0 
		
	
	Since 1 November 2011 to 30 June 2012:
	
		
			  Secretary of State Minister for the Armed Forces Minister for International Security Strategy Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans Under Secretary of State 
			 Scotland 0 2 1 0 2 1 
			 Wales 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 North-east 0 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 North-west 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 East midlands 2 0 0 1 1 0 
			 West midlands 2 0 0 1 3 1 
			 South-east 9 3 2 8 0 6 
			 South-west 6 5 3 7 4 4 
			 London 17 1 2 1 6 3 
			 Eastern England 1 0 3 3 1 0 
		
	
	The figures in the tables include formal visits only. Attendance at receptions, dinners or speeches have not been included.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what duties the additional armed forces personnel to be covering London 2012 Olympics security will undertake;
	(2)  where the additional armed forces to be covering London 2012 Olympics security will be accommodated during the Games;
	(3)  from what deployments the additional armed forces personnel to be covering London 2012 Olympics security will be removed;
	(4)  which department requested the use of additional armed forces personnel to cover London 2012 Olympics security;
	(5)  which Minister in his Department took the decision to use additional armed forces personnel to cover London 2012 Olympics security;
	(6)  from which units the additional armed forces personnel being deployed to cover Olympic security will be drawn;
	(7)  what the cost to the public purse of deploying the additional armed forces personnel to cover Olympic security will be;
	(8)  from which budget the costs of the recent deployment of additional armed forces personnel to cover Olympic security will be met.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 16 July 2012
	As the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), confirmed in his written statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 43WS, he agreed with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), to deploy a further 3,500 military personnel to support venue security operations. On 24 July 2012 it was also agreed that a further 1,200 troops were to be deployed to provide resilience and flexibility in this capacity.
	These personnel are conducting a number of important roles helping to secure the world's largest sporting event. These tasks include vehicle screening, pedestrian screening and perimeter security tasks which sit alongside niche military capabilities being provided by other personnel provided to the wider Olympic security effort. The precise costs of this additional deployment are currently being scoped—the House will be informed in due course. These costs will not be drawn from the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s budget. In due course the MOD will provide the Home Office with details of the costs for reimbursement.
	I can confirm that none of the units used for this task, announced on the 12 and 24 July 2012 respectively, were removed from deployments on military operations. Personnel were drawn from the following units:
	The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland)
	3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
	7th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
	13 Air Assault Support Regiment
	23 Royal Regiment Engineers
	Composite Units to include: 13 Medical Regiment, 216 Signals Squadron and 156 Provost Company RMP
	1 The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment
	5th Battalion The Rifles
	35 Regiment Royal Engineer
	28 Engineer regiment
	1 (UK) Armoured Division Signal Regiment
	Queen Dragoon Guards
	Queens Royal Hussars
	26th Regiment Royal Artillery
	1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
	4th Battalion The Rifles
	Household Cavalry Regiment
	1st Battalion The Rifles
	30 Commando Royal Marines
	42 Commando Royal Marines
	45 Commando Royal Marines
	Commando Logistic Regiment
	24 Commando Engineer Regiment
	3 Force Protection Wing RAF Regiment
	Queens Colour Squadron RAF Regiment
	Military personnel supporting Olympic safety and security are accommodated in a range of Defence and commercial sites. Since the announcement on 12 July 2012 additional accommodation was secured at Tobacco Dock (Wapping) to accommodate the majority of these additional personnel.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether service personnel providing security at the London 2012 Olympic games will be paid a bonus;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of providing additional service personnel to provide security at the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(3)  whether leave has been cancelled for service personnel as a result of the need to provide additional service personnel at the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(4)  how much his Department expects to spend on bus hire for the transportation of service personnel providing security at the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(5)  which army units will provide security at the London 2012 Olympic games; and what role they will have;
	(6)  whether any tours of duty and handovers will be affected by the deployment of additional service personnel to provide security at the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(7)  on what date he was advised that additional service personnel would be required to provide security at the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(8)  what type and how many of his Department's vehicles will be used to transport service personnel providing security during the London 2012 Olympic games;
	(9)  what accommodation will be provided for service personnel of each rank expected to provide security at the London 2012 Olympic games.

Nick Harvey: The normal package of allowances will be payable to recognise living conditions and separation, the most significant of which is Longer Separation Allowance, ranging between around £7 and £28 per day, depending on total length of separated service. Those entitled to claim this will continue to do so.
	The costs of this additional deployment are currently being scoped—the House will be informed in due course.
	No members of the armed forces have had their post-operational tour leave cancelled. As the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) confirmed to the House on 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, we will ensure that all those taking part receive their full leave entitlement, even if it has to be rescheduled.
	The costs of bus hire for the transportation of service personnel providing security is currently being scoped in light of the additional deployment of military personnel, and is not yet available.
	Military personnel supporting venue security operations will conduct a number of roles including vehicle screening, pedestrian screening and perimeter security tasks. The following units will be on standby for this task:
	The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland)
	3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
	7th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
	13 Air Assault Support Regiment
	23 Royal Regiment Engineers
	Composite Units to include: 13 Medical Regiment, 216 Signals Squadron and 156 Provost Company RMP
	1 The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment
	5th Battalion The Rifles
	35 Regiment Royal Engineers
	Queen Dragoon Guards
	Queens Royal Hussars
	26th Regiment Royal Artillery
	1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
	4th Battalion The Rifles
	Household Cavalry Regiment
	1st Battalion The Rifles
	42 Commando Royal Marines
	3 Force Protection Wing RAF Regiment
	Queens Colour Squadron RAF Regiment.
	There will be no impact on operational output, including tours of duty and handovers, by this deployment.
	G4S indicated to the Government in the last week of June 2012 that they were experiencing specific problems with their scheduling system. At that point we started making contingency plans involving the use of 3,500 troops above and beyond those whom we had already planned to use. On 11 July 2012 G4S told the Government they could no longer provide the number of security personnel to which they were contractually committed and the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) took the decision to commit extra troops.
	In addition to minibuses and cars operated by individual units, 52 Army-owned civilian coaches will be used.
	Surplus bed-spaces in the existing accommodation plan for military support to the Olympics will be used where possible for these personnel. These include spaces within existing barracks, Territorial Army centres, other areas on the Defence estate, and in temporary accommodation at Hainault Park. Commercial properties near the Olympic venues suitable for temporary accommodation have been identified, and contracts and relevant permissions are being sought. All costs will be recovered from across government via the Olympic security budget, G4S and LOCOG. MOD will not incur extra costs as a result.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 451, on Olympics: security, whether armed forces personnel will be able to opt out of serving as security for the London 2012 Olympics.

Nick Harvey: Service personnel will not be able to opt out of serving as security for the London 2012 Olympics.
	However, as the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), stated to the House on 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 42-43WS, all those taking part in security for the Olympics will receive their full leave entitlement even if it has to be rescheduled, that no one is out of pocket due to cancelled personal arrangements and that all deployed personnel are appropriately supported.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 451, on Olympics: security, whether any compensation will be given to the families of armed forces personnel for the cancellation of the service member's post-operational tour leave.

Nick Harvey: There is no requirement for members of the armed forces to have their post operational tour leave (POTL) cancelled because of the requirement for additional service personnel to provide security at the Olympics. As an example, the additional 3,500 troops employed for venue security force are coming from formed units that returned from operations in April 2012—so POTL should have already been taken.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions since May 2010 on which his Parliamentary Private Secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 6 July 2012
	None.

Pay

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the lowest hourly rate is paid to staff by his Department; how many members of staff based outside London are paid less than £7.20 per hour; and how many members of staff based in London are paid less than £8.30 per hour.

Andrew Robathan: As of 19 July 2012, the lowest hourly rate paid to an employee in the Ministry of Defence was £6.79.
	At the same date, when including location based allowances, there were 1,755 employees earning less than £7.20 per hour outside London. There are no employees earning less than £8.30 per hour in London.

Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on (a) his private office and (b) staff costs of each Minister in his Department under each category of expenditure in the last 12 months.

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of (a) the private office and (b) staff of each Minister in his Department in the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 2 July 2012
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 January 2012, Official Report, column 825W, to the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones).
	The estimated cost of staff employed in six ministerial private offices in financial year 2011-12 is £1.66 million, this is a mixture of civilian and military staff. This figure does not include costs for some support staffs which are provided from other teams.
	The Ministry of Defence employs two speechwriters who work for Ministers. The estimated cost of the staff is £120,000 per annum.

Public Expenditure

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he expects his Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of any such underspend.

Philip Hammond: The Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts underspends in departmental expenditure limits as part of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn.
	As part of the transparency agenda, the Government publish the full detail of plans and outturn for all Departments after the end of the financial year, usually in September. HM Treasury publish outturn data for all Departments which is available on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at the time of the 2013 budget.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the results were, and what changes in policy have been made as a consequence, of the three-month exercise carried out by his Department jointly with the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury in respect of planning round 11.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 17 July 2012
	Changes in Ministry of Defence policy as a result of the three-month exercise were set out by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), in his statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 643.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the three-month exercise carried out by his Department jointly with the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury in respect of planning round 11.

Philip Hammond: The three-month exercise was conducted by Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury staff as part of their normal duties. It incurred no additional costs.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 627W and 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 457W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) publications, (b) circulars and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Identifying the expenditure on these publications would require line by line examination of departmental records. The large volume of orders placed through the Corporate Document Services (CDS) central printing contract since May 2010 means that this could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total cost of the CDS contract between May 2010 and July 2012 was £17.19 million. This will cover a wide range of products for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and across the armed forces.
	On 31 May 2010, the Prime Minister wrote to all Government Departments with plans to open up Government data, with a specific commitment to publish Government expenditure over £25,000. This published information includes payments made to CDS for any such services. For the MOD this can be found at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/ModSpend/ModSpendOver25000DataFiles.htm

Radar

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual cost is of renting the Scanter 4100 air search radar from BAE systems.

Peter Luff: The information requested is not held. The Scanter 4100 air search radar is one of the systems on board HMS Clyde, a River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel, which is chartered by the Ministry of Defence from BAE Systems Maritime—Naval Ships (BAES MNS), who supply the vessel as a complete capability to meet the Ministry of Defence's requirement.
	The ship is equipped with a number of on board systems, including the Scanter 4100 radar, to allow it to fulfil its role but the contractual agreement with BAES MNS does not separately identify the cost of each of the on board systems.

Railways

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what railway equipment his Department possesses; and where such equipment is located.

Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses its railway infrastructure for the movement of equipment, including munitions and armoured vehicles. MOD “railway equipment” includes a wide range of assets, such as standard gauge and narrow gauge locomotives, rolling stock, tooling and infrastructure. Some of this equipment is operated on behalf of the MOD by contractors. Sites include Defence Munitions Kineton, the Logistic Services site at Bicester, and the Marchwood Military Port.

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 28 June 2012
	Between 1 February 2012 and 31 May 2012, the Ministry of Defence introduced three new items of secondary legislation:
	The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2012 (SI 2012/670)
	The Ministry of Defence Police (Performance) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/808)
	The Otmoor Range Byelaws 2012 (SI 2012/1478)
	These new instruments have come as the result of the regular updating and consolidation of departmental secondary legislation have been prepared within existing departmental resources.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of reservists required to make up (a) an enduring intervention, (b) a non-enduring complex intervention, (c) a non-enduring simple intervention and (d) a one-off intervention of up to three brigades with maritime and air support.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 12 July 2012
	Force elements, in both the regular and reserve components will be held at varying levels of readiness dependent on role and training. The exact numbers of reserves required for an operation will depend on its nature and scale.
	Best effort operations, non-enduring interventions and the early roules of an enduring intervention are planned to be conducted by the reaction force. On these types of operation it is likely that there will be fewer reserves deployed. This is because a smaller number of reservists will be held at very high readiness and those that are, will likely be individual augmentees supporting regular force elements.
	For the stages of an operation provided by the adaptive force, which will be held at an appropriate level of readiness to provide a brigade-sized stabilisation commitment, we expect that reservists will contribute a more significant part of the force structure.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish his Department's risk assessment concerning plans to increase the number of reservists up to 2018.

Andrew Robathan: Risk assessments and registers are useful as business tools provided they can be used internally. In this instance they are part of the formulation of the Department's future reserves policy. There is a risk that, if they become public documents, they would be open to misinterpretation and misuse. Consequently, officials may be reticent to engage, confidentially, in full and frank discussions or record all risks, leading to a likelihood that potential risks develop without formal assessment or opportunity for mitigation. This would be particularly damaging to this project in its early stages of development. As a result I do not intend to publish the Future Reserves 2020 risk assessments.
	With a commitment of £1.8 billion to be spent on training and equipping our reserves, we are confident that the increase in the size of the reserves is achievable by 2020.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what frontline tasks he envisages reservists performing that they currently do not perform.

Andrew Robathan: Under the Future Reserve 2020 and Army 2020 changes, Army reservists will be trained and able routinely to deploy at up to sub-unit level, at times at unit level. This provides sustainable command and development opportunities for officers and other ranks alike and reinforces unit ethos and identity.
	The roles of the Royal Navy's Maritime Reserves and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) will not change materially but will expand to deliver a greater range and depth of capability within well established and integrated models.
	Reserve forces are also well placed to contribute to UK Resilience tasks, providing a Reserve of organised manpower to respond to domestic emergencies.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the £1.8 billion identified for reserve forces will be spent on; and over what timeframe such expenditure will be made.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what budget headings the £1.8 billion budget for his Department's plans to reform the reserve forces by 2020 over the next 10 years will be spent.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The additional £1.8 billion being invested over the next 10 years in reserves will be used to increase and develop the trained strength of the reserves and to enhance their capability. It will be spent to increase recruiting and improve retention, to enhance training at all levels, and to provide more and better equipment. This investment has already begun and will enable reserve forces of all three armed forces to play greater roles as integral elements of the whole force.

Reserve Forces

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists serve in each Government department.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which trades and sectors his Department plans to recruit reservists.

Andrew Robathan: Historically, the Ministry of Defence has and will continue to recruit reservists from a wide range of employment skills and sectors. There will continue to be recruitment of niche specialists such as medical professionals, and reservists' roles are expected to expand to include other specialist tasks such as cyber.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with employers on reservists' employment rights.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence engages regularly and at many levels with employers on reservist issues, including employment rights.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has discussed with employers measures to incentivise recruitment and employment of reservists.

Andrew Robathan: Many different types of incentives exist to encourage employers to support and promote their employees' membership of the reserve forces. Most relevant and enduring are the transferable skills, gained through reserve service, that contribute to staff development in any business. There is also an effective scheme in place that enables employers to apply for financial assistance to cover certain costs incurred when replacing a reservist employee if they are mobilised.
	The Ministry of Defence has remained engaged with employers before and since the announcement of the publication of the Future Reserves 2020 study in July 2011. However, with this step change in size and role of the reserves we need a new framework of partnership, with public and private sector employers that gives us more confidence that trained reservist manpower will be available when needed. This is being examined through, for example, the ‘Partnering for Talent’ programme, which seeks to identify clear business benefits for employers who support the reserves. I intend to publish a consultation paper in the autumn following which we will be able to make informed decisions early next year on further employer engagement.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the oral statement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1087, on Army 2020, whether reservists will form stand-alone units on the frontline.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2012, Official Report, column 766W, to the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones).
	Under the Army 2020 concept, reservists will be ready and able to deploy routinely at sub-unit level and in some cases as formed units on an enduring stabilisation operation as part of both reaction and adaptable forces.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 516W, on reserve forces, when the specific parameters for the consultation on the effect of his reform of the reserve forces will be published.

Andrew Robathan: The Future Reserves 2020 consultation will engage with reservists, employers and wider society in order to enable informed decisions to be made on terms and conditions of service, employer engagement, the Government's own commitments as an employer, and on any legislation necessary to underpin and support our vision for the Reserves. The parameters of the consultation will be published in a Green Paper in the autumn.

Reserve Forces: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces reservists are ordinarily resident in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and (b) Scotland.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many serving members of the Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers reside in (a) Bury North constituency, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) Lancashire;
	(2)  how many serving members of the Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers were recruited from (a) Bury North constituency, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) Lancashire.

Gerald Howarth: Information relating to where serving members of the Army reside and how many were recruited in any given constituency are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Saudi Arabia

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures his Department has put in place to detect bribery and other impropriety in contracts supervised by the Saudi Armed Forces Project Office.

Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence is committed to the prevention, deterrence and detection of bribery. Contracts supervised by the Saudi Armed Forces Project Office are therefore subject to the same procedures and processes as all other Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts.
	Additionally, as part of the verification of supplier processes and prices, and with the support of the Saudi Arabian Government, senior officials within the Project Office seek assurances from the project prime contractor that procedures are in place for the prevention of bribery, in accordance with the detailed guidance published by the Ministry of Justice.
	The MOD has well-established procedures through which staff can report concerns about bribery or any other forms of financial irregularity.

Saudi Arabia

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department's due diligence process in respect of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications project recorded any payments made to Simec International and Duranton International; and whether his Department took action in respect of any such payments;
	(2)  what due diligence his Department undertook in respect of contracts placed as part of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications project.

Gerald Howarth: Allegations have been made about GPT (Special Project Management Ltd), linked to the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project. These are being considered by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). It would not be appropriate to respond to these questions until such time as the SFO consideration is complete.

Science and Technology

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding he has allocated under each budget heading to his Department's science and technology budget for 2012-13.

Peter Luff: The Government's White Paper, ‘National Security through Technology’, stated that the Ministry of Defence investment in science and technology will focus on achieving six critical outcomes. The planned investment during 2012-13 against the outcomes is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Critical S&T outcome £ million (nearest £5 million) 
			 Support to current defence and security operations 50 
			 Plan for future capabilities that will be needed in the longer term 165 
			 Cost reduction and more future proof systems 65 
			 Support to Critical Science and Technology capabilities/facilities 50 
		
	
	
		
			 Timely and effective advice to Ministers and Government 55 
			 Human and Sociological aspects of capability 35 
			 Total 420

Snow Removal Units

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many self-propelled snow removal units are permanently based in Scotland; what type of equipment each unit is; and where it is kept.

Gerald Howarth: The UK's Defence footprint is organised, resourced and managed on a UK-wide basis to meet operational needs.
	The number, type and location of self-propelled snow removal units permanently based in Scotland are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Equipment type Location Quantity 
			 Schmidt CJS Mercedes Actros 2032A (ASCV) RAF Leuchars 3 
			 Snow removal unit—5T Rolba R400SA RAF Leuchars 1 
			 Airfield De-icer Sprayer—LADS Schmidt Mercedes RAF Leuchars 1 
			 Schmidt CJS Mercedes Actros 2032A (ASCV) RAF Lossiemouth 2 
			 Snow removal unit—5T Rolba R400SA RAF Lossiemouth 1 
			 Airfield De-icer Sprayer—LADS Schmidt Mercedes RAF Lossiemouth 1 
			 Medium Aircraft Towing Tractors Schmidt HMS Gannet 2

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of implementation of the proposals contained in the Strategic Defence and Security Review on the (a) size, (b) capability and (c) deployability of the Armed Forces.

Philip Hammond: The decisions we made during the Strategic Defence and Security Review and since will provide us with the battle-winning armed forces called for in the Defence Vision, smaller than before but better equipped and able to reach across the world and operate across the spectrum from high-intensity combat to enduring stabilisation activity. They will work with each other and with allies, equipped and trained for their task, their families well supported, trusted to shape their own future and manage their own resources within Defence.
	By 2020:
	The Royal Navy and Royal Marines, with some 30,000 trained regulars and 3,100 trained reserves, will have carrier strike capability with the Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, a high readiness amphibious capability, a new fleet of Type 45 destroyers and Astute class submarines, new Wildcat helicopters, and will be ready to accept the new Global Combat Ship;
	The Army, with some 82,000 trained regulars and 30,000 trained reserves, will remain the most capable Army of its class in the world. At its heart will be a reaction force of three large, well equipped and trained armoured infantry brigades and 16 air assault brigade, able to succeed in complex confrontations and an adaptable force of seven further infantry brigades, with the reserve forces as a core component, providing overseas capacity building to help prevent future conflict, military aid to homeland resilience, and follow-on forces for future enduring operations. Both the reaction and adaptable force will be supported by force troops, such as artillery, engineers and medics;
	The Royal Air Force, with some 32,000 trained regulars and 1,800 trained reserves, will be built around the hi-tech multi-role Typhoon and Lightning II combat aircraft, surveillance and intelligence platforms such as Airseeker, and a new fleet of strategic and tactical transport aircraft including C17, Atlas (A400M) and Voyager.
	With this we will remain one of the very few countries who can deploy and sustain a brigade sized force together with its air and maritime enablers, capable of both intervention and stabilisation operations almost anywhere in the world.

Tony Gallagher

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many times each Minister in his Department has met Tony Gallagher since May 2010;
	(2)  how many meetings Tony Gallagher has had at his Department since May 2010; and with whom on each occasion.

Philip Hammond: I assume this question refers to meetings with Tony Gallagher, editor of The Daily Telegraph. Since July 2011, details of meetings of Ministers with newspaper editors and proprietors are published quarterly. We have no records of any meetings between Tony Gallagher and Ministers in the Ministry of Defence between May 2010 and July 2011.

Type 26 Frigates

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely range of unit costs for the Type 26 frigate.

Gerald Howarth: The Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme is in its Assessment Phase. The range of unit costs will be determined at the main investment decision, which is currently scheduled for the middle of the decade.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on testing of Reaper and Predator drones at West Wales Airport Aberporth and the testing flyzone to Epynt military range;
	(2)  what consultation his Department has undertaken with the local population on the use of Predator and Reaper drones at West Wales Airport Aberporth and the testing flyzone to Epynt military range;
	(3)  whether Predator and Reaper drones tested at West Wales Airport Aberporth will be allowed to target lock buildings, moving cars and individuals within the designated drone land corridor.

Peter Luff: There are no plans to test Reaper (otherwise known as Predator B) unmanned air systems at West Wales Airport or at the Sennybridge Training Area and no discussions have taken place with the Welsh Government or the local population on this subject.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the likely cost of operating the Unmanned Aerial Systems Capability Development Centre in each of the next five years.

Peter Luff: We do not yet know the likely cost of operating the Unmanned Air Systems Capability Development Centre (UAS CDC) over the next five years.
	The pilot UAS CDC is based around existing facilities with a small management team at Ministry of Defence (MOD) Boscombe Down. The cost of operating these elements is subject to ongoing negotiation with industry. There will also be contributions in kind from MOD, industry and academia that have not yet been defined.

Veterans: Suicide

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 542W, on veterans: suicide, during what time period data on mental disorders were collected; and for how long after service personnel had left the armed forces the data were collected.

Andrew Robathan: The study referred to in my answer of 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 542W, was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence in 2003 into the health and social consequences of deployment on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study has had over 20,000 participants, both serving and former personnel, and monitors the effects of operational service against a cohort group that did
	not deploy. It does not concentrate on suicide but collects data on a range of issues, including mental health. Data collection began in 2003 and the study is still ongoing, with further results expected to be published in 2013. The early findings referred to in my previous answer captured data up until 2010. Given that operations in Iraq began in 2003, the longest time period the data covered was seven years. It is not possible to provide specific examples of how long after departing service these data were collected as this would vary between individuals.

Veterinary Services

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on veterinary bills for (a) horses and (b) dogs in each year since 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Military working animals play an important role working alongside our armed forces. Horses are used for ceremonial purposes throughout the year on the daily changing the guard and at annual events such as trooping the colour and the state opening of Parliament. This forms an important part of our national heritage and helps to raise the profile of our armed forces. Military working dogs play a crucial part in maintaining security of installations and provide invaluable support to Counter IED operations.
	The cost of veterinary bills and other health services, such as physiotherapy and dentistry, for horses for each financial year since 2010 are as follows:
	
		
			  Total cost (£) 
			 April 2010-March 2011 54,812 
			 April 2011-March 2012 72,078 
			 April 2012-June 2012 19,309 
		
	
	The cost of veterinary bills for military working dogs are as follows:
	
		
			  Total cost (£) 
			 2011 134,227 
			 2012 (to May 2012) 53,483 
		
	
	The payment of these services was not centralised until 2011 and it is not, therefore, possible to provide figures prior to this date.

Work Experience

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many interns work in his Department's press office.

Andrew Robathan: Annually the Civil Service Fast Stream runs a central internship programme, the ‘Summer Diversity Internship Programme’. The programme is designed to provide high calibre undergraduates and graduates from ethnic minority and under-represented socio-economic backgrounds with work placements in Government Departments of between six and nine weeks.
	The central Ministry of Defence (MOD) Press Office is within the Director of Media and Communications (DMC), located in MOD Main Building, Whitehall. There are currently no interns working in the central Press Office under the ‘Summer Diversity Internship Programme’. However one intern from this programme is working in the Business Management area of DMC from 25 June 2012 until 10 August 2012 and will be paid a training allowance for this period.
	In addition, DMC also hosts young people from year 10 secondary school (15-year-olds) to gain work experience from time to time during long vacation periods. They usually remain with us for one week and are not paid.

Written Questions: Government Responses

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to answer question 109631, tabled on 22 May 2012, for answer on 24 May 2012, on Royal Navy contracts. [R]

Gerald Howarth: I have replied to the hon. Member today.

TREASURY

Aggregates Levy

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered (a) reinstating the Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme in Northern Ireland and (b) expanding the scheme to other nations within the UK.

Chloe Smith: The Government remain fully committed to reinstating an Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme in Northern Ireland. Following the European General Court ruling of 2010 which annulled state aid approval for the scheme that ran between 2004 and 2010, the Commission opened a formal investigation in order to take a new decision on whether the scheme was an approvable state aid. Officials are working closely with the authorities in Northern Ireland and representatives of the quarrying industry to provide the Commission with the evidence they have requested.
	The Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme was developed in response to the specific economic and market circumstances in Northern Ireland. The Government have no plans to extend such a scheme to other nations in the UK. The UK Government have, however, committed to devolve the Aggregates Levy to the Scottish Parliament when the outstanding legal proceedings have been fully resolved.

Banks

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to maintain confidence in the banking system.

Mark Hoban: The Government believe that tougher, smarter and more effective financial regulation is needed to maintain confidence in the banking system. The Government's Financial Services Bill will abolish the FSA and establish a new system of specialised and focused financial services regulators. These reforms will ensure that financial firms are responsibly managed and regulated. The greater stability and resilience of the financial services industry will not only benefit the sector itself, but also the wider economy. The reforms will also ensure that the conduct of firms, and with it the interests of consumers and participants in our financial markets, are placed at the heart of the regulatory system and given the priority they deserve.
	The Government are also implementing the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking. The reforms will ensure that British banks will be more resilient, stable and competitive. The Government published their White Paper detailing their proposals on 14 June 2012, and have committed to have all legislation in place by the end of this Parliament.
	The Government have established an Independent Review into the structure and governance of LIBOR and the corresponding criminal sanctions regime. This is being headed by Martin Wheatley (CEO designate of the Financial Conduct Authority) and will report by the end of summer. Any necessary legislative changes will be considered for inclusion in the Financial Services Bill currently before Parliament or the proposed Banking Reform Bill.
	The Government also recognise that there are more in-depth issues to be tackled, including the culture and professional standards in the banking system. This will be within the remit of the Commission on Banking Standards, comprising representatives from both the Commons and the Lords, and established by a Joint Resolution of both Houses.
	The Commission has the power to interview witnesses under oath, including the Members of both Houses, and send for necessary people and papers. The Commission shall report, no later than 18 December 2012, on recommendations for legislative changes, which can be included in the Banking Reform Bill next year, and on other matters as soon as possible thereafter. It is essential that swift action is taken to fix the problems within the banking sector, rather than delaying solutions to the detriment of the public.

Banks: Regulation

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward implementation of the (a) ring-fencing of retail banks and (b) recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking.

Mark Hoban: The timeline for implementing the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) is detailed in the White Paper published 14 June 2012. The Government have committed to have all primary and secondary legislation in place by the end of this Parliament and, as the ICB recommended, banks will be expected to have implemented reforms by 2019.

Banks: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he was first informed that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was conducting investigations relating to banking conduct in Scotland;
	(2)  what discussions he and his officials have had with (a) the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, (b) the First Minister and (c) other members of the Scottish Government on investigations by Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service into banking conduct in Scotland;
	(3)  whether his Department has been asked to provide information and material to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to its investigations into banking conduct in Scotland.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of authorities as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.
	The Crown Office is conducting an ongoing investigation into the Scottish banking sector. As a result of developments in financial markets, and the degree of public concern about recently reported issues in the financial sector, it recently confirmed that an investigation has been under way for some time, and that the scope has been extended to take account of these developments.

Banks: Standards

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the his contribution of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1128, on professional standards in the banking industry, what questions he considers remain unanswered.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Government consider that there are many questions which remain unanswered, including those regarding the culture and professional standards in the banking system. This will be within the remit of the Commission on Banking Standards, comprising representatives from both the Commons and the Lords, and established by a Joint Resolution of both Houses.
	The Commission has the power to interview witnesses under oath, including the Members of both Houses, and send for necessary people and papers. The Commission shall report, no later than 18 December 2012, on recommendations for legislative changes, which can be included in the Banking Reform Bill next year, and on other matters as soon as possible thereafter. It is essential that swift action is taken to fix the problems within the banking sector, rather than delaying solutions to the detriment of the public.

Child Tax Credit: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in (a) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency and (b) the Birmingham city council area received the child element of child tax credit in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2011.

David Gauke: For Birmingham, Ladywood constituency, the average number of families benefiting from the child element was approximately 14,900 for 2009-10 and 13,500 for 2010-11.
	For Birmingham local authority area, the average number of families benefiting from the child element was approximately 97,700 for 2009-10 and 99,200 for 2010-11.
	The number of families benefiting from the child element of child tax credit is available in the HMRC publications, “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised Annual Awards 2009-10 Geographical Analysis” and “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics Finalised Annual Awards 2010-11 Geographical Analysis” which are available here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-final-awards-may11.pdf
	and here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/child-wtc-geo-may12.pdf
	2010-11 is the latest year for which information is currently available. 2011-12 data will be published in May 2013.

Corporation Tax: Scotland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held with the Scottish Government on devolving the rate of corporation tax to Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many policyholders will not receive compensation from the Equitable Life payment scheme because they have experienced a relative gain.

Mark Hoban: Appendix F of the report of the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments details the numbers who are eligible but not due a payment from the scheme.
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/docs/pdfs/final_icelp.pdf

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many individual policyholders are yet to receive compensation payments from the Equitable Life payment scheme;
	(2)  how many policyholders are yet to receive communication from the Equitable Life payment scheme because the administrators have been unable to verify their address.

Mark Hoban: The scheme published a detailed progress report on its website earlier this month:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/pressfaq/news.htm

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on whose advice he decided to exclude policyholders who purchased with-profits annuities before 1 September 1992 from the Equitable Life payment scheme.

Mark Hoban: Following a period of consultation, the Government announced the details of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme as part of the 2010 spending review. These were- debated in the House in November 2010, including the position of the pre-1992 with-profits annuitants. Subsequently the final, detailed, scheme rules, were laid in the House in May 2011.

Fiscal Policy

Peter Hain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of fiscal tightening through any change in the general government cyclically-adjusted primary balance as a proportion of potential gross domestic product; and what comparative assessment he has made of (a) such domestic fiscal tightening and (b) such fiscal tightening in the European Union.

Chloe Smith: The Government do not estimate the general Government cyclically-adjusted primary balance, nor do the independent Office for Budget Responsibility forecast this measure of the deficit. Instead, the Government's fiscal mandate focuses on the cyclically-adjusted current balance, which excludes capital spending to protect the most productive public investment expenditure.
	The IMF and the European Commission forecast this measure of the deficit with latest forecasts available in the April Fiscal Monitor available here:
	http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fm/2012/01/fmindex.htm
	and European Economic Forecast—Spring 2012 available here:
	http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2012/ee1upd_en.htm
	The IMF forecast shows that the general government cyclically-adjusted primary balance is forecast to improve from a peak deficit of 7.3% of GDP in 2009 to balance in 2014, subsequently reaching a surplus of 2.1% of GDP by 2017. In comparison, they forecast the Euro Area's average deficit on this measure to peak at 2.2% of GDP in 2010, highlighting the scale of the fiscal challenge the UK faces. The Euro Area is expected by the IMF to reach a surplus of 2.1% of GDP in 2017.
	The European Commission forecast the UK's general government cyclically-adjusted primary balance to have improved by 6.0 percentage points in 2013 from a peak deficit of 7.6% of GDP in 2009. The European Union average balance is forecast to have improved by 3.4 percentage points over the same period.

Green Investment Bank

Esther McVey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to work with established green investors on green investment before the Green Investment Bank is operational.

Chloe Smith: In advance of the UK Green Investment Bank becoming fully operational BIS is making direct investments in green sectors through the Bank's pathfinder: UK Green Investments.

Import Duties: Israel

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions he has imposed EU import duties on Israeli goods entering the UK from Jewish settlements on the west bank considered illegal under international law in each year since the introduction of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

David Gauke: The number of incorrect origin declarations for goods imported under the EU-Israel Agreement for each year since it was introduced is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2005 128 
			 2006 127 
			 2007 214 
			 2008 20 
			 2009 26 
			 2010 73 
			 2011 90 
			 2012 (1)14 
			 (1) To date.

Inflation

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered changing the inflation target in the last year.

Chloe Smith: The Chancellor reaffirmed at Budget 2012 that the independent Monetary Policy Committee will continue to target 2% inflation as defined by the 12-month increase in the Consumer Prices Index.

LIBOR

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will estimate the number of individuals potentially affected by the manipulation of the Libor; and if he will consider options for providing those individuals with compensation.

Mark Hoban: In the case of Barclays, the FSA found for attempted manipulation of the Dollar Libor and Euribor rates. There is evidence that on different occasions, there were attempts to manipulate the rates in different directions, sometimes to raise them and sometimes to lower them. As such it is very difficult to establish the net effect of these opposing actions.
	This is the first of a number of investigations into this issue. The Government will keep this under review.

LIBOR

Frank Dobson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) officials and (b) special advisers have briefed the BBC on the role of the right hon. Member for Morley and Outwood in discussions on Barclays' manipulation of LIBOR.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 13 July 2012
	Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions. Furthermore, the Government will not say or do anything that might prejudge or pre-empt the outcome of investigations into the attempted manipulation of LIBOR and other benchmarks.

LIBOR

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Financial Services Authority will establish a formal procedure by which small and medium-sized enterprises can claim compensation for interest rate swap misselling by the major banks.

Mark Hoban: Following their review into the sale of interest rate hedging products to small businesses, the Financial Services Authority have reached an agreement with the banks to provide appropriate redress where mis-selling has occurred. As part of this the banks have agreed to:
	provide direct redress on the sale of structured collars to 'non-sophisticated customers' which will be reviewed and agreed by an independent reviewer;
	review sales of other interest rate hedging products (except for simple caps) to 'non-sophisticated customers', and where it is appropriate, propose fair and reasonable redress on a case by case basis, which will be reviewed and agreed by an independent reviewer; and
	consider a business's complaint regarding the more simple interest rate cap products in the same way as the other interest rate hedging products, if the business's complaint is made during the course of the bank's independent review.
	The exact redress will vary from customer to customer, but could include a mixture of cancelling or replacing existing products, together with partial or full refunds of the costs of the products. The banks' individual compensation procedures will be scrutinised by an independent reviewer and be overseen by the FSA.

Money Advice Service

Mark Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of the Money Advice Service budget is spent on (a) outsourced resources and (b) financial education in schools;
	(2)  what proportion of its budget the Money Advice Service is planning to spend on financial education in schools in the next financial year.

Mark Hoban: The Money Advice Service is an independent body, funded by a levy on the financial services industry. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for approving its business plan and budget. The Money Advice Service published its business plan and budget for 2012-13 in March 2012. Its business plan for 2013-14 will be published in March 2013.
	I have asked the Money Advice Service to respond to the specific points my hon. Friend has raised in writing. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

NHS: Redundancy Pay

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will publish the template for approval by his Department for NHS special severance cases;
	(2)  what information his Department requires when seeking approval for NHS special severance cases;
	(3)  how many cases were (a) submitted and (b) accepted for approval by his Department for NHS special severance cases in each of the last five years;
	(4)  what records are kept of approval by his Department for NHS special severance cases; and how such records are kept.

Danny Alexander: The template for seeking HM Treasury approval for special severance cases is available on HM Treasury's Managing Public Money website
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_mpm_annexes.htm
	The template provides an indication of the information required by the Treasury to consider approval for such payments.
	Records of each individual NHS special severance case, including completed template, follow up queries and final approval are filed on the Treasury's electronic filing system. To number of cases submitted and approved could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Official Engagements

Peter Hain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his official engagements for 14 and 15 September 2012.

Chloe Smith: As was the case with previous administrations, details of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s official engagements are not available in advance.

Pensions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent a pension company is able to invest the money they receive rather than holding it.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	When investing a scheme's assets, legislation requires pension scheme trustees to do so in the best interests of its members and beneficiaries, ensuring appropriate diversification in their investment strategy. They must also exercise their investment powers in a manner calculated to ensure the security, quality, liquidity and profitability of the scheme's investment portfolio as a whole. These requirements mean that they are not be able to inappropriately hold onto pension contributions without investing them.
	For contract-based pension schemes, the pension provider will invest the contributions either in a fund selected by a member or in the default option where the member does not make a choice. The Financial Services Authority's Conduct of Business Sourcebook sets out the types of assets which can be used for contract based pension and non-pension investments within funds which customers invest in. It also sets the requirements for the conduct of firms in relation to their customers.

Pensions: Fees and Charges

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will investigate reports of people being obliged to pay for financial advice from their pension provider;
	(2)  if he will investigate reports of pension providers varying their level of investment management charges frequently.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The level of charges levied by pension providers should provide fair value to people saving for their retirement. The introduction of automatic enrolment makes it all the more important that people are enrolled into schemes with transparent, low charges and which provide value for money.
	Research(1) shows that charges have fallen over time and suggests that this trend will continue as NEST's low-cost charging structure will act as a benchmark across the entire pensions industry.
	The Government are determined to ensure that every pound saved provides the maximum value to savers in building the highest possible pension. The Department regularly evaluates the level of charges in the pensions market and will be placing an even stronger emphasis on this as the market continues to respond to the introduction of automatic enrolment.
	(1) Wood, Young, Wintersgill, Crowther (2011) ‘Likely industry responses to the workplace pension reforms’, DWP research report 753:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep753.pdf

Personal Savings

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2012, Official Report, columns 448-9W, on personal savings, what assessment he has made of the distributional impact of this forgone expenditure to individuals and households in terms of (a) age, (b) geography, (c) socio-economic status and (d) income.

David Gauke: Distributional analyses of contributions to personal pensions can be found in Tables PEN3, PEN4 and PEN5 on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/pensions/menu.htm
	while corresponding distributional analysis of ISA subscriptions and market values can be found in Tables 9.7 to 9.12 at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/isa/menu.htm

Press Officers

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its arm’s-length bodies since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: Reimbursable expenses claimed by press officers between 1 May 2010 and 13 March 2012 totalled (a) £8,878 for HM Treasury, (b) nil for its only agency (Debt Management Office) and (c) nil for its arm’s length bodies (Office for Budget Responsibility, United Kingdom Financial Investments and the Asset Protection Agency).
	Revised rules on the payment of expenses for Treasury staff were introduced in July 2010 following a review of expenses which began in January 2010. The revisions impacted upon most areas of spending including the removal of the options for first class travel, the use of taxis in London (except in exceptional circumstances) and the prohibition of refreshments at staff meetings.

Public Expenditure

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the out-turn was of each Government Department against its comprehensive spending review settlement in each year of the settlement to date.

Danny Alexander: The latest out-turn data for the spending review period is included in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2012 command paper, available at
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pespub_pesa12.htm

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2012, Official Report, column 117W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury does not produce circulars. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the Treasury's expenditure on printing different types of publications/consultation documents. Records do not distinguish between the types of information requested and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Renewable Energy

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the control framework for Department of Energy and Climate Change long-funded spending will operate in relation to legally-binding targets on carbon and renewable energy with regard to projects coming forward under the support mechanisms contained in the draft Energy Bill.

Chloe Smith: The purpose of the control framework for DECC levy-funded spending is to deliver the Government's energy and climate change goals as cost-effectively as possible, minimising the impact on consumer bills.
	The details of how the control framework operates, including for new policy measures, have been published online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_controlframework_decc.htm

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use of 0845 telephone numbers by HM Revenue and Customs; and whether he has any plans to end their use.

David Gauke: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 967W, to the hon. Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart).

Taxation: Freight

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Office of Rail Regulation's 13th Periodic Review, what assessment he has made of the effect on the competitiveness of UK industry of the introduction of a tax on the movement of coal and iron ore.

Chloe Smith: No such tax has been introduced.
	The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is the independent economic and safety regulator for railways in Great Britain. The ORR is responsible for determining the track access charges levied on rail freight operators in the next railway funding control period from 2014 to 2019. Track access charges help to service rail network infrastructure costs.
	In May the ORR published a consultation document on the variable usage charge paid by passenger and freight operators and proposals to introduce a freight specific charge. The consultation closed on 10 August 2012 and details can be found on the ORR's website at
	www.rail-reg.gov.uk

VAT

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider returning the rate of VAT to 17.5 per cent; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Government have no plans to do so.
	Reducing VAT to 17.5% would cost over £10 billion a year. Doing so would substantially erode our fiscal credibility, and if credibility is lost and interest rates rise, the impact on the fiscal position would be severe. We would expect this to have a negative effect on the UK economy.

VAT: Caravans

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider not proceeding with his proposed 5% VAT rate on static caravans.

David Gauke: The Budget measure to increase the rate of VAT on static holiday caravans was consulted on, modified, and debated extensively in the House before being agreed. The Government intends to proceed on that basis.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of proposals to increase the small claims limit for personal injury in terms of (a) tax revenue from law firms, (b) tax revenue from claimants and (c) VAT revenue and loss to the Exchequer.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	On 2 May 2012, I announced that the Government will consult on whether to amend the small claims threshold for damages for personal injury claims. The consultation document and its related impact assessments will be published shortly and will be available to download from both the Ministry of Justice and Citizen Space websites.
	No decisions will be taken on the way forward in this area until all responses to the consultation document and other stakeholder submissions have been considered.
	Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and HM Treasury officials have been working closely together to develop the consultation proposals and accompanying impact assessments. The latter will consider the effect of the proposals on all impacted groups, including law firms and claimants. The Government welcome contributions and evidence from all stakeholders on the potential impacts of these proposals on all affected groups.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date (a) CDC Group and (b) his Department were informed that Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II was under criminal investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office.

Alan Duncan: Neither DFID nor CDC Group has received any notification from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) that Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II is or was under criminal investigation.

Africa

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to inform the House of the outcome of the criminal investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office into Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II.

Alan Duncan: My Department is not aware of the outcome of any criminal investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) into Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II.

Africa

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to refer the allegations against Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II to the investigatory authorities in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: My Department has received no new allegations against Emerging Capital Partners' Africa Fund II. The previous set of allegations has been fully looked into by CDC.

Africa

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 389W, on Africa, whether European Investment Bank officials informed officials in member states on 18 April 2012 that its independent Inspector General had conducted a preliminary investigation into allegations of corruption in connection with the Emerging Capital Partners' Africa II fund and had referred the matter to the European Anti-Fraud Office as a result of BBC Newsnight reports of 16 April 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: On 18 April 2012, European Investment Bank (EIB) officials informed UK and other member state officials that, in line with the bank's policy, its independent Inspector General had conducted a preliminary investigation into allegations of corruption in connection with the Emerging Capital Partners' II fund, and had referred the matter to the European Anti-Fraud Office.

Bangladesh

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the World Bank's decision to suspend aid to Bangladesh on UK aid to that country.

Alan Duncan: The World Bank has not suspended aid to Bangladesh. It has cancelled a significant loan agreed for the building of the Padma Bridge.
	The UK is not a funder of this project so there are no immediate major implications for its aid programme. We continue to deliver our commitments as set out in the 2011 to 2014 Operational Plan. We are remaining in close contact with the World Bank on the reasons behind the decision to cancel the project.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to provide funding and expertise for conflict prevention, inter-racial and inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation between Rakhine, Burman and Rohingya communities in Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID provided humanitarian assistance to address the impact of the violence in Rakhine state through our core contributions to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Children Fund and the World Food programme; the focus of which is on addressing the immediate needs.
	We are working with other donors through the UN in relation to the needs in Rakhine State and await the needs assessment based on the findings of OCHA and aid agency partners. The British ambassador has repeatedly raised concerns with Ministers and directly with the President about the humanitarian and political situation in Arakan and called on all sides to allow unrestricted humanitarian access for international and local aid agencies to the affected communities.

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy to stipulate to the CDC that corruption allegations should be reported to his Department and any other appropriate UK authorities as a matter of course rather than at the CDC's discretion; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: My Department expects CDC to report promptly to it any significant allegations of corruption that it receives. CDC is also required to comply with applicable UK laws, including any laws that might mandate disclosure of information to government authorities, and CDC has detailed business integrity policies and procedures in place to ensure that the company's commitment to integrity is followed. These policies and procedures cover bribery and corruption, money laundering, data protection, conflicts of interest and other important matters. CDC's Board maintains oversight of the company's compliance programme.

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2012, Official Report, column 437W, on the Commonwealth Development Corporation, what assessment he has made of whether industry practice is a sufficient basis upon which to base disclosure requirements to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: My Department does not require CDC to disclose the co-investors in the funds that it supports as it understands that this information is regarded by many investors as commercially sensitive and, where such information is provided to CDC, it is generally protected by contractual confidentiality provisions in fund documentation.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) through a range of centrally-managed funds and country programmes. Details of funding provided to UK-based CSOs can be found in Table 19 of the last three editions of Statistics on International Development which are available in the Library of the House and on the DFID website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	In 2010-11 the UK Government introduced the Aid Transparency Guarantee. This commits DFID to making details of all the projects we fund available for public scrutiny. Full details can be found on the project database on DFID's website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/DFID-spend/

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to build peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: I recently visited the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to see for myself the complexities of the conflict and recent increase in violence, and assess the UK's response and support to the situation. I have given clear political messages to the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda, who I urged to work together to eliminate the instability that has plagued the regime for decades and has been worsened by the recent formation of the M23 armed group.
	In addition, to help build peace in the east of the DRC, the Department for International Development is:
	(1) undertaking a joint analysis of conflict and stability with the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence to inform both DFID and Conflict Pool interventions;
	(2) developing a new three year programme that will focus on land management and related conflicts; the coordination and management of peace consolidation and stabilisation programmes; and civilian protection;
	(3) working with international partners to enhance the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) led International Strategy for the Support to Security and Stabilisation (I4S);
	(4) supporting I4S directly through funding for infrastructure, especially the construction and rehabilitation of roads;
	(5) funding from the Conflict Pool to MONUSCO to support Disarmament Demobilisation Return Repatriation Reintegration; Forces Armées de la Republique Democratique du Congo (FARDC) military justice prosecution cells; and secondments to the European Union Mission for Security Reform (EUSEC) focused on FARDC reform;
	(6) investing in a range of programmes to address poverty, improved service delivery and security sector and mining sector reform, which respond to poverty as a root cause of the conflict;
	(7) continuing support for a humanitarian response in the region to meet the needs of vulnerable and displaced persons.

Developing Countries: Food

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in establishing the leadership council for the New Alliance for Food and Nutrition security.

Stephen O'Brien: G8 members are currently considering proposals for a leadership council for the New Alliance. We expect agreement on the council will be reached and a first meeting convened in the coming months.

Developing Countries: Food

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what commitments his Department has made to the New Alliance for Food and Nutrition security; and what the timetable is for their implementation.

Andrew Mitchell: The New Alliance on Food and Nutritional Security in Africa will lift 50 million Africans out of poverty over the next 10 years through agriculture sector growth. The UK Government will contribute £395 million in total to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition over the coming three years. This includes support for food security and agricultural development programmes in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana and Mozambique and a £75 million contribution to support the Global Agricultural Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which will boost agricultural production, help farmers deal with risks and encourage more commercial investment in agriculture.
	Under the New Alliance the UK Government will also support actions which: increase smallholder farmers' access to new technology; improve extension services to smallholder farmers; and encourage adoption and consumption of nutritionally enriched crop varieties. We expect implementation of these three initiatives to start before the end of 2012.

Developing Countries: Religion

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of faith-based organisations to development.

Andrew Mitchell: In 2011 at the General Synod I said that DFID would convene a working group across the faiths with the remit of producing some practical suggestions for closer working between government and faith groups.
	Subsequently, in June 2012, the UK Government launched the "Faith Partnership Principles Paper". This marks a new era of understanding and cooperation between Government and faith groups on international development.
	For the first time, groups from across the faith spectrum have been brought together to sign up to new principles for collaborating with the UK Government on aid, including an agreement to work in three priority countries.
	Faith groups are crucial to development. They offer services and support to poor people that they wouldn't otherwise be able to access or afford.
	They also give valuable and trusted advice to their communities. In some African countries 70% of health services are provided by faith groups.
	The Faith Partnership Principles Paper can be found on the DFID website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	and a copy is available in the Library of the House.

European Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy to require the European Investment Bank (EIB) to inform its shareholders of criminal investigations into EIB-financed activities when they are initiated; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The UK has always insisted that European Investment Bank (EIB) should maintain the highest standards of integrity in its investment activities and should implement strong policies to combat fraud and corruption. We would expect the bank keep shareholders informed, as they have done in the past, and my officials will continue to press at all levels for consistent disclosure to shareholders.

European Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the European Investment Bank's Inspector General only refers investigations to the European Anti-Fraud Office where an initial assessment concludes that fraud or corruption is likely to have occurred; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The European Investment Bank's Guidelines on Fighting Corruption, Fraud, Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism are publically available:
	http://www.eib.org/infocentre/publications/all/eib-guidelines-on-fighting-corruption-fraud-money-laundering-and-the-financing-of-terrorism.htm
	The bank states that:
	"If [an] investigation concludes that fraud or corruption is likely to have occurred, IG shall provide OLAF with a report of its investigations and all relevant documentation."

Millennium Development Goals

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the Lord Bishop of Derby of 20 June 2012, Official Report,House of Lords, column WA300, on millennium development goals, what the outcome was of his Department's assessment of (a) the value of the millennium development goal on environmental sustainability, (b) where it had been successful and (c) weaknesses to be addressed in any successor framework.

Andrew Mitchell: The value of the millennium development goal (MDG) on ensuring environmental sustainability lies in focusing the world's attention on the importance of the environment for sustained poverty reduction.
	There has been good progress in meeting some of the targets under MDG7, notably in helping over two billion people receive access to safe water since 1990 and in the reduction in ozone depleting substances. However, other targets have not been met. One of the lessons from the MDGs is to ensure that, for any successor framework, targets are widely owned and acted on.

Nigeria

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to tackle the issue of early and forced marriage in Nigeria.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development has a number of programmes empowering girls and women in Nigeria. This includes the Girls Education Programme which has a target of getting 1 million additional girls into school. This programme focuses not just on enrolment but on empowerment and helping girls make informed life choices. Nigeria is also a focus country for the Girl Hub initiative which has a long term strategy to increase the age of marriage and first pregnancy.
	DFID is currently developing a new gender programme in Nigeria entitled "voices for change". This programme will aim to improve the lives of adolescent girls and young women by tackling both the cultural and social norms in Nigerian society as well as building effective legal frameworks to protect girls' and women's rights.

Nigeria

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to improve the availability of information about state-level financing for education in Nigeria; and what steps his Department is taking to develop civil society capacity to use available information to hold state-level education bodies to account for education delivery.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is supporting the 'Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria' (ESSPIN) to improve the availability of information about state level financing for education. Through this programme, Nigerian civil society organisations are supported to provide training to 'school based management committees'. This helps them hold schools, local government education authorities and state boards of education accountable.
	The UK is also supporting the 'State Accountability and Voice Initiative' (SAVI). In Kaduna, SAVI is training the civil society organisation 'Know Your Budget' to hold the State Education Ministry and other ministries to account for their performance and spending. Training includes developing skills to analyse medium terms plans and budgets, and advocacy skills. In Jigawa State, for example, ESSPIN and SAVI are working together with key civil society organisations to promote increased state spending on female teacher training.

Nigeria

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 426W, on Nigeria, what funding his Department supplies to civil society organisations to provide support to school-based management committees (SBMCs); whether this support is intended to help SBMCs to access information about financing flows to schools and to carry out advocacy to ensure delivery of the budgeted funding; and what discussions his Department has had with the Nigerian Government on access to information on education financing flows by SBMCs through the community accountability and transparency initiative.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK provides support through the Education Sector Support Programme for Nigeria (ESSPIN) to civil society at state level to train and mentor members of 'school based management committees' (SBMCs). This support ensures that SBMC members know what funds are flowing to their school, and allows them to monitor how funds are used to improve the learning environment in the school.
	SBMCs are trained to do 'spot checks' to verify and supervise school infrastructure contracts. A 'school report card' and a 'community based education management information system' allow community members to better manage school resources and hold state and local government to account. Civil society organisations are also supported to participate in the budgeting and planning of education at state level. This has improved discussions with state assemblies on education financing issues.
	The UK works with the Nigerian Government at state and federal level. At the federal level, our discussions with the Minister of Education Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa'i are focused on the recently published 'Four Year Education Strategy'. In 2008, the then Minister of Education Obi Ezekwesili launched the Community Accountability and Transparency Initiative (CATI). The initiative was short-lived and not sustained following the Minister's retirement from office in 2009.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 63W, 14 June 2012, Official Report, columns 574-75W, and 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 654W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) publications, (b) circulars and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

Alan Duncan: From May 2010 to 18 July 2012, DFID spent £138,718.80 on publications, of which £81,098.80 was spent on publications required by Parliament and statute, and £45,734 was on work commissioned prior to May 2010. Details of the publications that incurred these costs can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Publications commissioned prior to May 2010 
			 Type of spend Publication title(1) Cost (£) 
			 Print + design The politics of poverty: Elites, citizens and states—Finding from 10 years of DFID-funded research on government and fragile states 2001-10 8,417.00 
		
	
	
		
			 Print + design Congo 50 and beyond 37,317.00 
		
	
	
		
			 Publications required by Parliament and statute 
			 Type of spend Publication title(1) Cost (£) 
			 Print Aid Review Summary: UK aid: Changing Lives Delivering results + Bilateral Aid Review: Country Summaries 5,327.00 
			 Print + design Humanitarian and Emergency Response Review Report 4,963.00 
			 Print + design Multilateral Aid Review Report 6,612.00 
			 Print + design DFID Resource Accounts 2009-10 11,996.00 
			 Print + design DFID in 2009-10 (Annual Report in response to International Development Act) 14,290.00 
			 Print + design Humanitarian Emergency Response Review: UK Government Response 2,444.00 
			 Print + design Annual Report and Accounts 2011 Volumes I and II 18,528.00 
			 Print + design DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12 16,938.80 
		
	
	
		
			 All other DFID publications 
			 Type of spend Publication title(1) Cost (£) 
			 Print Country Programme Evaluation Mozambique 2,270.00 
			 Print Joint Donor (DFID/lrish Aid) Country Programme Evaluation Tanzania 3,516.00 
			 Web conversion Sharing the Benefits of Trade—DFID's Aid for Trade Portfolio Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 210.00 
			 Design The Engine of Development: The private sector and prosperity for poor people 4,190.00 
			 Print + design Supporting a healthy environment: A fresh approach to our work on the environment(2) 1,700.00 
			 (1) Full documents available at: www.dfid.gov.uk (2) Includes cost of designing a reusable template to allow staff to produce further publications at zero additional cost. 
		
	
	Where possible, DFID issues its publications at low or zero additional cost and in electronic format only. DFID overseas offices may have produced some additional publications in country. This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
	DFID has not released any circulars since May 2010.
	Since May 2010 DFID has issued 12 consultation documents. Information on the cost incurred is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Rwanda

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to leverage the annual £75 million given in international aid to Rwanda to end the Rwandan support to militias operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Andrew Mitchell: The United Kingdom has a track record of working effectively with the Government of Rwanda and other partners, to achieve development results in Rwanda. This track record and continued UK support means that the UK is able to be a 'candid friend' to Rwanda, engaging openly and frankly on sensitive issues at the highest levels.
	I have had recent discussions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with President Kagame and key Ministers during my recent visit to Rwanda. I delivered clear messages that the UK Government was increasingly concerned about the situation in eastern DRC. I have urged Rwanda as well as the DRC to play a constructive role in bringing peace and stability to eastern DRC. The UK will continue to maximise the leverage afforded by our development partnership with Rwanda and via our diplomatic channels to ensure that this happens.

UN Women

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to encourage other international donors, private or public, to help ensure that UN Women has the core funding it needs to continue its work to support women's empowerment and gender equality.

Andrew Mitchell: At the recent UN Women Executive Board, the Executive Directors Annual Report noted that 2011 saw improved returns from resource mobilisation, with more donors increasing core support to $10 million or more. In 2011
	contributions to UN Women totalled $235 million, representing a 33% increase from 2010. Despite missing its 2011 funding targets, we feel that given the challenging economic climate, this shows a real commitment to UN Women by other donors. We will continue to encourage other donors to honour their funding commitments, even in these tough times, and to focus resources on where they can be used most effectively.
	We will continue to work with UN Women, and other donors, to deliver real improvements for girls and women around the world and to take forward the reform priorities highlighted in the Multilateral Aid Review. Demonstrating progress in these areas will give donors the confidence they need, in UN Women's ability to deliver and allow them to adjust their contributions accordingly.
	In addition, we have given strong ministerial support for the work they are doing. I had a meeting with Michelle Bachelet when she was in London for the Family Planning Summit, and the Minister of State, Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan) has subsequently met her in New York.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 923-4W, on electoral register: fraud, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the two convictions for electoral fraud between 2008 to 2011 on public perception of electoral fraud.

Mark Harper: The Government have not made an assessment of the effect of any individual convictions for electoral malpractice including those mentioned on wider public perceptions of electoral fraud. The Electoral Commission monitors and reports on levels of allegations of malpractice and the wider public perceptions of electoral fraud.
	The Government are speeding up the implementation of Individual Electoral Registration through the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill to strengthen the security of the system and reinforce public confidence in elections.

EDUCATION

English Baccalaureate

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of the English baccalaureate on take-up of core subjects.

Nick Gibb: A survey of a sample of year 9 students' GCSE options starting in September 2011 conducted by the National Centre for Social Research suggests that the English baccalaureate is having a positive impact. According to the survey, around 47% of pupils who will enter GCSEs in May 2013 are studying a combination of subjects that could lead to the EBacc compared with just 22% of GCSE pupils entered for GCSEs in 2010.
	That includes increases of 8 percentage points in pupils taking history, 7 percentage points in geography, 9 percentage points in languages and a 12 percentage point increase of those taking triple science.

Youth Services

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reform youth services to meet the needs of local communities.

Tim Loughton: “Positive for Youth” set out, for the first time, an overarching vision for youth policy. One of the key principles of its vision is for local leadership and greater partnership in the delivery of services for young people. Local authorities are best placed to decide how best to shape their services—their duty to secure sufficient services is outlined in revised statutory guidance, which we issued in June. This Government have also invested an additional £141 million in a network of 63 Myplace youth centres to support local youth service provision.

NEETs

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.

John Hayes: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave in the House of Commons today to the hon. Member for West Bromwich West (Mr Bailey).

Apprentices: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many apprentice starts there were for 16 to 18-year-olds in Birmingham, Hall Green constituency in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

John Hayes: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts aged under 19 in (a) Birmingham Hall Green parliamentary constituency, (b) the west midlands and (c) England for academic years 2009/10 to 2010/11, the latest full years for which final data are available.
	
		
			 Apprenticeship programme starts by learners aged under 19 by geography, 2009-10 to 2010-11 
			  2009/10 full year 2010/11 full year 
			 Birmingham Hall Green 200 280 
			 West Midlands 13,590 15,690 
			 England total 116,800 131,700 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 except for the England totals which are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Age is based on age at the start of the programme. The figures include a small number of under 16-year-olds. 3. Geography is based upon the home postcode of the learner. The England totals include some postcodes which are not known. Geographic information is based on boundaries of regions as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR and supplementary tables were published on 29( )March 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Tim Loughton: Charitable organisations play, and will continue to play, a significant role in developing and delivering services for children, young people and families. The sector receives money from DfE through a number of routes, including funding historically through arm’s length bodies, through the money we give to local authorities, and from services commissioned from schools.
	Information about DfE’s grant spend with voluntary and community organisations, which includes charities, for the financial year 2010-11 and financial year 2011-12 has been placed in the House Libraries. The Department uses its best endeavours to classify organisations as voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE). The spend will encompass some charities and exclude others, such as free schools, academy trusts or non-specialist independent schools that have a charitable status.
	We cannot provide comprehensive information on funding to charitable organisations in financial year 2009-10 as extracting and analysing that information would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Children in Care

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve the responsiveness of the children's care home inspection system and (b) enable local authorities to raise concerns on safeguarding.

Tim Loughton: Ofsted's new framework for the inspection of children's homes, which was introduced in April 2011, focuses more strongly on whether a home has taken action to implement recommendations in previous reports, and whether improvements are flowing through as a consequence. Precise details of the improvements to the new inspection framework have been provided by Ofsted in reply to part (a) of this question. Their response has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Local authorities must take action where they suspect that a looked after child is not being safeguarded in their current placement. The actions that they can take include initiating enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989, and convening a review of the plan for the child's care, chaired by the child's Independent Reviewing Officer. The purpose of a review in this context would be to consider whether or not the care provided to the child by their placement continues to be effective in keeping them safe.
	On 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 45-47WS, in response to concerns identified in reports by the Joint All Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry into Children who Go Missing from Care and the report by the Office of the Children's Commissioner on the emerging findings of their inquiry into child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups, I made a written ministerial statement to Parliament setting out urgent action to improve the care and protection provided by children's homes.
	As a matter of priority, we intend to ensure that young people who are placed in children's homes are properly protected and safely located by removing barriers in regulation so that Ofsted can share information about the location of children's homes with the police, and other relevant bodies. The Department has also established a task and finish group to report in September on placement planning and out of area placements so that children who are placed in children's homes are more effectively protected, particularly when they are placed outside their local area. This work is taking place in conjunction with an expert working group examining the quality of children's homes which is due to report in December. This group will consider a wide range of issues including the location of homes, commissioning practice and the knowledge and skills required by children's home staff.
	Letter from John Goldup, dated 13 June 2012
	Your recent Parliamentary Question has been passed to me, as Deputy Chief Inspector, to respond to part (a).
	Ofsted believes that its responsibility for the inspection of children’s homes is one of the most important that it carries. With this in mind, Ofsted introduced a wholly new framework for the inspection of children's homes in April 2011. This framework shifted the emphasis away from the monitoring of compliance with processes and procedures to a much clearer focus on the quality of care, the safety of children and young people, the difference the home makes to their lives, and the quality of leadership, and management. Inspectors spend the bulk of their time observing the quality of daily care, and talking with children and young people.
	Having reviewed the first year of the new inspection framework, Ofsted introduced a significantly revised set of the criteria against which inspectors make their judgements in April 2012, with the explicit intention of raising the bar. Data on inspection outcomes for the first quarter of the year will be published in September.
	In response to recent public concern about children who go missing from children’s homes, we have further strengthened our guidance to inspectors to ensure that they are absolutely clear about the action they must take when they identify this as an issue in a home being inspected. They must undertake a detailed examination of the care plans and actions in place in relation to children identified as at risk; ensure appropriate contact with the placing local authority and with the police; and scrutinise the level of staff training. The effectiveness of the action taken to prevent children going missing, and to respond if they do, is a key consideration in the overall judgement on the home.
	On 11 July this year Ofsted published for consultation our proposals for the inspection of services for children in care at local authority level. We have placed significant emphasis in these proposals on an evaluation of the care which local authorities take in their placement decisions, and on the robustness with which they discharge their responsibilities for children placed outside of their area.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Tim Loughton MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Children: Day Care

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to provide free child-care for all children.

Sarah Teather: Since September 2011, all three and four-year-olds are entitled to 570 hours of free early education a year. From September 2013, we will extend free early education to around 130,000 two-year-olds, and then to a further 130,000 children from September 2014. The places will be targeted primarily on disadvantaged children, who the evidence suggests will benefit most.

Official Hospitality

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2012, Official Report, column 1030W, on departmental drinks, what the (a) brand and (b) supplier was in respect of all expenditure on (i) tea and coffee, (ii) wine, (iii) alcoholic refreshments other than wine and (iv) bottled water in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Department does not hold a list of brand or suppliers of tea, coffee and wine bought by Private Office in the last 12 months. During this period, there has been no expenditure on alcoholic refreshments other than wine, or bottled water.

Education

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to paragraph 7.5 of his Department's publication The Importance of Teaching: The Schools White Paper 2010, what progress he has made on establishing a collaboration incentive; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 26 June 2012
	We are confident that the Government's wider reforms of the education system are supporting collaboration between schools. Through the expanding networks of Teaching schools, National and Local Leaders of Education and Academy chains, we are moving towards a system in which more excellent schools sit at the centre of improving networks of schools, guided by a shared vision of raising pupil attainment. This model of the best heads and schools providing support to others has proved highly effective and we are committed to expanding it. We therefore no longer think it makes sense to introduce a separate collaboration incentive fund.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the amount of education maintenance allowance paid to residents of Ashfield constituency in 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the total value of discretionary 16-19 bursaries that will be paid in 2011-12 in respect of students who are residents of Ashfield constituency.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not collect constituency-level data on the education maintenance allowance (EMA) or the 16-19 Bursary Fund. We do, however, have data for the Nottinghamshire county council area, which includes the Ashfield constituency. During the 2010/11 academic year, £6,877,565 was paid out to EMA recipients in Nottinghamshire.
	The 16-19 Bursary Fund commenced at the beginning of the 2011/12 academic year and Nottinghamshire received £1,595,693 from the fund during that time. This includes funding for discretionary bursaries, and for £1,200 vulnerable group bursaries—it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the proportions of the total paid as discretionary and vulnerable group bursaries. Additionally, during the 2011/12 academic year to date, students in Nottinghamshire have received £2,109,030 in EMA transitional payments.

Education: Assessments

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of 16-year-olds took qualifications in 2011 which counted for more than one GCSE;
	(2)  how many qualifications awarded last year at Key Stage 4 were worth more than one GCSE;
	(3)  how many pupils were examined in 2011 in each qualification which formerly counted as more than one GCSE in Key Stage 4 performance tables;
	(4)  how many and what proportion of 16-year-olds would not have met the required standard of five A* to C grades including English and mathematics in 2011 if no qualifications counted for more than one GCSE.

Nick Gibb: From 2014, the Key Stage 4 Performance Tables will be restricted to qualifications that are high quality, rigorous and enable progression to a range of study and employment opportunities for the majority of pupils. Details on the qualifications to be included in the 2014 Key Stage 4 Performance Tables are available on our website here:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/qualifications/otherqualifications/a00202523/reform-of-14-to-16-performance-tables
	In 2011, 372,793 pupils, representing 59% of the end of KS4 cohort, were entered for a qualification counted within the Key Stage 4 Performance Tables as more than one GCSE. While we hold information on GCSEs where pupils were ungraded, unclassified or absent we only hold information for non-GCSE qualifications that have been awarded. Therefore we are not able to provide a figure on exactly the basis requested.
	In 2011, 626,103 awards were made in qualifications worth more than one GCSE, across 433 different qualifications. The full list of the number of pupils achieving each qualification, entered by at least one pupil, has been placed in the House Libraries. This is based on 2011 Key Stage 4 Performance Tables data. As long as the qualifications in this list remain regulated by Ofqual and approved for teaching pre-16 they will continue to be included as worth more than one GCSE in the 2012 and 2013 Key Stage 4 Performance Tables.
	If no qualification had been counted for more than one GCSE in 2011, the number of students who would not have met the required standard of five A*-C grades including English and mathematics GCSE would have increased by 2,941 from 257,973 (41%) to 260,914 (42%) (this analysis does not take into account other aspects of the reforms proposed by Professor Alison Wolf which also included no longer counting some courses worth less than one full GCSE and limiting the number of non-academic qualifications counted to two).

Electronic Communication

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the (a) make, (b) model and (c) network provider was of each mobile telephone device he has been officially issued with in chronological order since May 2010;
	(2)  how many (a) telephone calls and (b) text messages he received to mobile telephone devices officially issued to him in each month since May 2010;
	(3)  how many emails he received to his official government email address in each month since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) has been issued with one mobile telephone device by the Department for Education since May 2010. This is a standard DfE BlackBerry, 8310 model and is operating over the Vodafone mobile network.
	The Department does not hold information about how many telephone calls, text messages or emails the Secretary of State has received in an official capacity since May 2010.

E-mail

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the cost to publish all the e-mails sent by his special adviser, Dominic Cummings.

Tim Loughton: The Department estimates that the costs of locating and publishing the e-mails would exceed £850.

Empty Property

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many buildings owned by his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible have been empty for more than two years; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education and the bodies for which it is responsible own no buildings which have been empty for more than two years.

Free School Meals

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate has been made of the number of children who will receive free school meals after the universal credit is brought in 2013.

Nick Gibb: Universal credit will be introduced in 2013 in order to simplify the benefits system and make work pay. We have yet to decide what the new free school meals criteria will be under universal credit but we aim to ensure that, in England, the number of children entitled to free school meals remains at least the same as now.

Further Education: Standards

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2012, Official Report, column 376W, on students: statistics, when he expects to introduce comparable measures of performance for all 16-to-19 providers of education to ensure that comparisons are made on the right basis by Ofsted, parents and students.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 13 July 2012
	We are considering carefully the performance measures we should use to compare 16 to 19 providers of education. Interim changes to the key stage 5 performance tables have been announced in the 2012 Statement of Intent published at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/
	Further interim arrangements for standards and intervention should follow in the autumn term, together with a timetable for introducing longer term changes to enable comparability between institutions.

GCE A-level

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what steps his Department plans to take to encourage more pupils to take (a) mathematics and (b) science subjects at A-level;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to encourage school students to study sciences at university.

Nick Gibb: The Government is committed to increasing the take-up of mathematics and science at A-level and university. The main way to achieve this is to improve the quality of teaching in these subjects. We have allocated up to £135 million over the current spending review period to support better science and mathematics education in schools.
	We have announced plans to recruit more specialist science and mathematics teachers by offering bursaries of up to £20,000 for the best graduates. We are also funding subject knowledge enhancement courses that give specialist subject knowledge in science and mathematics to teachers, and those training to be teachers, who do not have a specialist qualification in these subjects. We are improving the quality of mathematics and science teaching by funding access to professional development for science and mathematics teachers through the network of science learning centres and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
	The Triple Science Support programme supports schools to offer three separate science GCSEs. Students who take three science GCSEs are more likely to study science subjects at A level and do well in them. The Stimulating Physics Network and the Further Mathematics Support programme also provide support to schools and colleges with the specific aim of increasing take-up of physics and further mathematics at A level. Both physics and further mathematics, which have relatively low take-up compared to other science and mathematics A levels, have seen increases in recent years.
	The new specialist maths free schools for 16 to 18-year-olds will give strong university mathematics departments and academics the chance to lead in developing and implementing new curricula and teaching methods for mathematics students and prepare them for further study in mathematics and related disciplines, such as science, at university. We also aim to have 24 university technical colleges open by September 2014. These will work in partnership with universities and employers and specialise in demanding technical subjects including science.

Learning Records Service

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons national insurance numbers cannot be used to access personal learning records.

John Hayes: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The intended purpose of the national insurance number (NINo) is to act as an internal reference number for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) purposes to identify a record which subsequently enables the correct link to be made between an individual and their social security. The general policy of DWP and HMRC is to discourage the use of the NINo outside of its intended context. Personal Learning Records in education rely on the Unique Learner Number (ULN). The purpose of the ULN is to effectively and efficiently manage the sharing of Learner information across education organisations that need to share such information. The ULN is for use across all post-14 education organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Learning Records Service

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost to the public purse was of the Learning Records Service in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the estimated cost is of the Service in each of the remaining years of its trial period.

John Hayes: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Learning Records Service (LRS) currently manages the UK Register of Providers (UKRLP), Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs), Personal Learning Records, Learner Plans, QCF Rules of Combination and QCF Routes to Achievement services and systems. The service is not in trial, it is in full operation. All costs refer to these services and systems.
	(a) The operating costs for the LRS in 2011/12 were:
	£930,000 staff salaries including on-costs;
	£4.6 million systems operations; and
	£3 million systems development
	(b) The budget forecast for 2012/13 is:
	£930,000 staff salaries including on-costs;
	£4.6 million systems operations; and
	£2.5 million systems development

Learning Records Service

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many records were held on the personal learning record database on 1 July 2012; and if he will estimate the number of records it will hold by 1 July 2015.

John Hayes: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The number of records held on the personal learning record database on 8 June 2012 is 10,371,835 (to date). It is estimated that 14 million records will be held on the database by 1 July 2015 on current rates of growth.

Learning Records Service

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the purpose is of the personal learning record database.

John Hayes: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The purpose of the personal learning record (PLR) is to provide a verified electronic record of achievement for learners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	Learners will have their achievement recorded in one place, online and accessibly. Efficient data sharing simplifies and enhances the delivery of advice services for learners, the application and enrolment experience for learners and the management of funding and audit accountability processes for Learning Providers, such as schools/local authorities, colleges and Higher Education Institutions. It also allows these organisations to monitor progression of learners.
	The PLR will provide access to life long achievement records of individual learners. It will help with managing progression from (and transfer within) secondary to further to higher education and within work. Achievements will be more easily verified and will enable learners to provide proof of achievement to employers through secure online web reports—thus speeding-up employment application processes. The operation of the PLR will also be critical to the effective working of Lifelong Learning Accounts, funding eligibility, including 24+ Advanced Learning Loans and the ability of the National Careers Service to support learners.

Offences Against Children: Internet

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what meetings the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Young Families has had with stakeholders to discuss protecting children online.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 12 July 2012
	I have had 59 meetings with external stakeholders about protecting children online; they are as follows:
	
		
			  Meeting 
			 July 2012 Claire Perry MP 
			 July 2012 Apple 
			 July2012 McAfee 
			 July 2012 UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) Executive Board meeting 
			 July 2012 Blackberry/Research In Motion (RIM) 
			 June 2012 Facebook 
			 June 2012 DigitalMe 
			 June 2012 Range of stakeholders - UKCCIS summit 
			 April 2012 UKCCIS Executive Board Meeting 
			 April 2012 Range of stakeholders - roundtable for mobile industry 
			 February 2012 UKCCIS Executive Board Meeting 
			 February 2012 Range of stakeholders - Safer Internet Day event 
			 February 2012 Range of stakeholders - launch of UKCCIS advice 1.0 
			 January 2012 Authority for Television on Demand 
			   
			 December 2011 Blackberry/RIM 
			 December 2011 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 December 2011 NSPCC 
			 November 2011 Range of stakeholders - parental controls mobile roundtable 
			 November 2011 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 November 2011 Range of stakeholders - Cyberspace Conference 
			 November 2011 Youth Parliament Swindon 
			 November 2011 Professor Tanya Byron and James Brokenshire, MP 
			 October 2011 Internet Watch Foundation and James Brokenshire, MP 
			 October 2011 UKCCIS meeting with Young people 
			 October 2011 NSPCC 
			 October 2011 Childnet 
			 October 2011 Internet Watch Foundation 
			 September 2011 TalkTalk 
			 September 2011 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 September 2011 Representatives from organisations active on internet safety 
			 July 2011 Microsoft 
			 July 2011 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 June 2011 Professor Tanya Byron 
			 June 2011 Range of stakeholders - UKCCIS summit 
			 May 2011 James Brokenshire, MP 
			 May 2011 Facebook 
			 May 2011 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 March 2011 Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) 
			 March 2011 Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) 
			 January 2011 BT 
			   
			 December 2010 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 December 2010 Vodafone 
			 December 2010 Mobile Broadband Group 
			 December 2010 Microsoft 
			 December 2010 Children's Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS) 
			 December 2010 NSPCC 
			 November 2010 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
		
	
	
		
			 November 2010 Blackberry/RIM 
			 November 2010 CHIS 
			 November 2010 BT 
			 November 2010 02 
			 November 2010 Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) 
			 November 2010 Facebook 
			 November 2010 Childnet 
			 November 2010 CEOP 
			 July 2010 UKCCIS Executive Board meeting 
			 July 2010 Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) Event for MPs and Peers 
			 July 2010 James Brokenshire MP 
			 June 2010 Professor Tanya Byron

Official Engagements

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his official engagements were on (a) 2 July 2012 and (b) 3 July 2012.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others on 2 and 3 July 2012.

Official Visits: Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 488W, on official visits: Israel, for what reason (a) officials in his Department discussed the possibility of a meeting with Mr Lieberman and (b) no such meeting subsequently took place.

Tim Loughton: Information relating to discussion with foreign governments is not normally disclosed.

Regional Pay

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to introduce regional pay since 20 March 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education is currently in the final year of its three year pay freeze and will begin to address pay in the 2013-14 financial year.

Private Finance Initiative

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the future use of the private finance initiative by his Department.

Nick Gibb: In May we announced that 261 schools would be rebuilt or have their condition needs met through the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). The PSBP is predominantly a privately financed programme.
	The policy on the use of private finance by the public sector is determined by Her Majesty's Treasury. We are working closely with the Treasury to ensure that the PSBP is aligned with the Government's agenda on the reform of the PFI model in providing cost effective and more transparent delivery of services. The procurement process will be centralised and will be more streamlined than previous school building programmes and baseline designs will be available to bidders to drive improvements in the overall value for money. Schools will have greater flexibility with facilities management services such as cleaning, catering, security and grounds maintenance being controlled by schools themselves.
	The PSBP will be rigorously managed throughout, to ensure that we do not incur the excessive costs incurred by previous private finance schemes. We will learn lessons and continue to make improvements to the private finance model in order to provide a cost effective delivery of education services.

Public Expenditure

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he expects his Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of any such underspend.

Tim Loughton: The information is as follows:
	The OBR forecast underspends in Departmental Expenditure Limits as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn.
	As part of the transparency agenda the Government publish the full detail of plans and outturn for all Departments after the end of the financial year, usually in September. HM Treasury publish outturn data for all Departments from the COINS database, available on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at Budget 2013.

Rebekah Brooks

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education from how many different telephone numbers he has received text messages from Rebekah Brooks since May 2010. [R]

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education holds no central records that are relevant to this request.

Schools: Asbestos

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the Committee on Carcinogenicity's findings on children's vulnerability to asbestos; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will set a timetable for a review of asbestos policy for schools;
	(3)  if he will review the guidance given to schools on children's exposure to asbestos.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) has not held any discussions with the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley) on the Committee on Carcinogenicity's findings on children's relative vulnerability to asbestos. The Committee has not yet published its findings. Any decision to review the guidance given to schools will be taken in light of the Committee's findings once we have had time to consider them.

Schools: Finance

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the average per pupil unit of funding including the pupil premium, for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools based on (i) low-range, (ii) mid-range and (iii) high-range departmental estimates of pupil numbers in each of the next five academic years.

Nick Gibb: The current spending review period ends in 2014-15. Plans for school funding during this period were based on forecast pupil numbers available at the time of spending review in October 2010. The cash flat settlement for the current spending review period gives average per pupil funding of £5,083. In addition, the pupil premium will provide funding of £2.5 billion in 2014-15.
	The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011. In 2011-12 the pupil premium funding was £488 per pupil in respect of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM), and for children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months and £200 per pupil for those whose parents are serving in the armed forces.
	In 2012-13 the pupil premium amount in respect of pupils known to be eligible for FSM has risen to £600 per FSM pupil and children in care, and will be extended to cover pupils who have been FSM within the last six years. The pupil premium for those whose parents are serving in the armed forces has risen to £250 per pupil.

Schools: Standards

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of schools in (a) the 10 per cent most deprived areas and (b) the 10% least deprived areas fell below the Government's floor standards in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			 Key stage 2: Number and percentage of schools(1) in the 10% most and least deprived areas(2) below the floor target(3) 
			   2010 2011 
			 10% most deprived areas Number 189 268 
			  Percentage(4) 21 19 
			 10% least deprived areas Number 14 23 
			  Percentage(4) 2 2 
			 (1) Mainstream maintained schools in the key stage 2 performance tables with greater than 10 pupils in the key stage 2 cohort and performance tables data for all three measures against which the floor standard is assessed (see footnote 3). (2) Based on Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI). Each super output area (similar sized groups of households across the country with a minimum population of 1,000) in England is given a score which ranks it between one and 32,482, one being the most deprived. IDACI band is based on the IDACI rank of school postcode. Pupils attending the school may not live in the same area. (3) In 2010 and 2011 the floor standard was: At least 60% of pupils at the end of key stage 2 (KS2) achieving level 4 or above in English and maths; National average or above for percentage of pupils at the end of KS2 making expected progress in English (national median = 87%); and National average or above for percentage of pupils at the end of KS2 making expected progress in maths (national median = 86%). Primary schools failing to reach all three thresholds were assessed as being below the floor standard. (4) Number of schools below the floor target in each area as a percentage of the number of schools assessed against the floor target in each area. Source: Performance Tables. 
		
	
	
		
			 Key stage 4: Number and percentage of schools(1) in the 10% most and least deprived areas(2) below the floor target(3) 
			   2010 2011 
			 10% most deprived areas Number 44 27 
			  Percentage(4) 19 11 
			 10% least deprived areas Number 5 2 
			  Percentage(4) 2 1 
			 (1) Mainstream maintained schools in the key stage 4 performance tables with greater than 10 pupils in the key stage 4 cohort and performance tables data for all three measures against which the floor standard is assessed (see footnote 3). (2) Based on Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI). Each super output area (similar sized groups of households across the country with a minimum population of 1,000) in England is given a score which ranks it between one and 32,482, one being the most deprived. IDACI band is based on the IDACI rank of school postcode. Pupils attending the school may not live in the same area. (3 )In 2010 and 2011 the floor standard was: At least 35% of pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving five or more GCSEs A*-C (or equivalents) including English and maths GCSE; National average or above for percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 making expected progress in English (national median = 72% for 2010, 74% for 2011); and National average or above for percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 making expected progress in maths (national median = 65% for 2010, 66% for 2011). Secondary schools failing to reach all three thresholds were assessed as being below the floor standard. (4) Number of schools below the floor target in each area as a percentage of the number of schools assessed against the floor target in each area. Source: Performance Tables.

Social Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many vulnerable (a) children and (b) adults were (i) placed out of county and (ii) received from another county for each local authority area.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not collect information on the placement of all groups of vulnerable children.
	Information is published on the number of looked after children placed outside the boundary of each local authority, and the number placed within that boundary by other local authorities. This is available in Table LAA9 of the Statistical First Release, Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011. This publication can be accessed at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml
	Information on how many vulnerable adults were (i) placed out of county and (ii) received from another county for each local authority area is not currently collected. This is something we are currently looking at as a result of work announced in the Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation action plan: Progress report July 2012.

Teachers: Kent

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers in Kent were (a) dismissed and (b) dismissed due to incompetency in the last 10 years.

Nick Gibb: The operation of disciplinary procedures in schools, including dealing with teacher incompetence, is a matter for schools and local authorities as employers. Accordingly the information requested about the dismissal of teachers is not held centrally.
	The Department for Education has recently published new procedures for schools to use when dealing with underperforming teachers. These new arrangements are shorter and less complex than the current procedure and are due to come into effect in September 2012.

Teachers: Training

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department provided for postgraduate initial teacher training in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: The amount of funding that the Department provided for postgraduate initial teacher training in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Academic year £ million 
			 2009/10 387.8 
			 2010/11 363.5 
			 2011/12 276.6

Teachers: Training

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to attract high-calibre graduates into teaching.

Nick Gibb: We are committed to encouraging the best graduates into teaching. The measures we are taking to attract high-calibre graduates into teaching are contained in “Training our next generation of outstanding teachers: Implementation plan”, published in November 2011. They include:
	using bursaries of up to £20,000 to attract the best performing graduates in the subjects where they are most needed;
	in partnership with the Institute of Physics, providing up to 100 scholarships of £20,000 to help attract more of the best graduates into physics teaching; and
	expanding the successful Teach First programme which places highly able graduates to work in challenging schools;

Vocational Education

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the annual VQ Day promoted by the Edge Foundation on the perception of technical, practical and vocational qualifications among (a) teachers, (b) parents, (c) pupils and (d) employers in England.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 June 2012
	The Government recognises that the annual VQ Day, promoted by the Edge Foundation, has made a positive contribution to the perception of technical, practical and vocational qualifications amongst teachers, parents, students and employers in England since its launch in 2008. But we know more needs to be done to raise the perception of vocational education in England. We are clear that this will only happen once the quality and value of vocational education rises. That is why the Government commissioned Professor Wolf to conduct a review of the vocational education system.
	The Wolf Review of Vocational Education, published in March 2011, made a series of recommendations to improve vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds. In May 2012, the Government accepted these recommendations in full. Alongside these reforms, we are considering how employers might be better engaged in the process of improving the quality of vocational provision in the future. This package of reforms is designed to improve the value and quality of vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds and should in turn raise perceptions of vocational education among teachers, parents, students and employers.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Absenteeism

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the absenteeism rate was in her Department in each of the last three years.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The average number of working days lost per person due to sickness absence in core DEFRA in each of the last three years was as follows:
	
		
			 Year ending 31 March Number 
			 2010 5.8 
			 2011 5.4 
			 2012 3.9

Animal Welfare: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce cases of animal cruelty towards domestic dogs and cats in London.

James Paice: The Government take the issue of animal cruelty very seriously. On 23 April, we announced a package of proposals to tackle irresponsible ownership of dogs. The consultation on these proposals closed on 15 June and we are currently analysing the 23,000 or so replies before any decision is made.
	In the meantime, we have provided funding to the Dogs Trust, the RSPCA and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to research what community projects work best to improve more responsible ownership of dogs.
	In 2010 DEFRA introduced codes of practice for the welfare of cats and dogs. The codes explain to owners what measures they need to take to provide for the welfare needs of their cats and dogs.

Animals: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 448W, on animals: imports, from which countries of origin the animals were imported.

James Paice: The country of origin for imports of cats/dogs/ferrets into the UK between 2008 and May 2012 are set out as follows:
	EU member states
	Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
	Third countries and territories
	Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, DR, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea DPR, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Sudan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Ukraine, US Virgin Islands, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam/Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Biodiversity

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's publication, “A Strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services—Biodiversity 2020 Indicators: 2012 Assessment”, how many of the 45 indicator measures were given a direction of change assessment for the last year; and which of these indicators were assessed as (a) improving and (b) deteriorating.

Richard Benyon: Statistical assessments of the indicators are made over two time periods: over the long term and since the year 2000. We do not publish statistical assessments of year to year change because not all of the indicators can be updated annually and annual changes can be misleading, particularly for biological data, which may fluctuate markedly from year to year.
	Where annual data are available, the direction of change in the latest year is shown in the publication in the interests of transparency, but we do not attempt to summarise or draw conclusions based on what may be annual fluctuations.
	There were 23 measures for which change in latest year was reported in May 2012; five may be regarded as showing little or no change, eight as showing an improving trend and 10 as showing a deteriorating trend.
	For the 10 regarded as showing deterioration, the explanations are varied.
	For populations of bats, woodland butterflies and large fish, the decline in the latest year is in contrast to the ‘improving’ trend observed since 2000. This may reflect weather events (recent cold winters for example), or simply be a matter of chance and we would not attempt to draw conclusions without further data.
	For indicators on farmland bird and butterfly populations, the latest-year deterioration continues a general downward trend observed over a longer period. We already have plans in place to secure beneficial management through our agri-environment schemes and to further improve the effectiveness and targeting of these schemes.
	Volunteering activity, sustainable land management and expenditure on biodiversity also show overall improvement since 2000 but have declined in the latest year. We are securing beneficial land management through our agri-environment and woodland incentive schemes. On volunteering, we are funding and supporting a range of organisations that provide environmental volunteering opportunities to help them to boost volunteering and capacity. On expenditure, we are reviewing existing funding streams for biodiversity delivery and taking steps to better utilise existing budgets for biodiversity such as the European LIFE Programme and the common agricultural policy.

Biodiversity

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to her Department's publication, A Strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services, what steps the Government are planning to take to improve trends in indicators on (a) conservation volunteering and (b) funding for biodiversity.

Richard Benyon: On volunteering, we are working with a number of organisations that provide environmental volunteering opportunities to see how we can best help them to boost volunteering and build their capacity. We have earmarked £200,000 to support this work over the next two financial years.
	DEFRA has also recently convened a meeting between biodiversity organisations and funding bodies to discuss how best to align Biodiversity 2020 objectives with relevant funding streams, and we will be following this up. We are taking steps to further improve our utilisation and effectiveness of existing budgets for biodiversity such as LIFE and the common agricultural policy.

Biodiversity

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the indicators for (a) the status of priority species and (b) the effectiveness of integrating biodiversity considerations into local decision-making will be available to assess progress made on implementing her Department's strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services.

Richard Benyon: We will publish both of these indicators in the spring of 2014.

Songbirds

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has commissioned on the predation of songbirds in each of the last five years; at what cost; and from whom.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 19 June 2012
	There are two relevant studies that have been commissioned in the last five years.
	The five-year Sustainable Arable Farming for an Improved Environment (SAFIE) project reported in June 2007. This was a collaborative project with funding from the Home Grown Cereal Authority (HGCA), DEFRA, English Nature and the Scottish Executive with a total cost to DEFRA of £1.483 million. It was a wide ranging project looking at practical techniques for increasing the biodiversity value of farmed land but it included a limited assessment of the impact of nest predation on three bird species (skylark, yellowhammer and yellow wagtail). The project found that 22% of nest studies were lost to predation by badger, weasel, stoat and brown rat. The final report for the SAFIE project is available on the HGCA website.
	In 2008, DEFRA commissioned the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to produce an evidence based review of the causes of decline in wild birds in England. The cost of this research was £63,015 and the final report is available on the DEFRA website.
	This review found that, in common with many other studies, habitat change was the principal driver of bird declines. The review identified predation as potentially important for a small number of songbirds such as bullfinch or spotted flycatcher.

Common Fisheries Policy

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the oral statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 468-70W, on balance of competences, what the timetable is for her Department's work to review the EU's existing competences on fisheries.

James Paice: The sequencing and timetable of work by individual Departments is now being determined. Detailed work by Departments on some areas will begin in autumn this year and work will continue into 2014. More information will also be available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website.

Endangered Species

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many globally threatened species were present in (a) England, (b) the UK and (c) the British Overseas Territories in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: Yearly estimates of globally threatened species present in the UK, England and the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are not undertaken. The best available information, taken from the list of globally threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is that there are: 194 in the UK (2005-10); 54 in England (2010); and 517 in the UKOTs (2008).

Environment Agency: Fines

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value is of outstanding fines imposed by the Environment Agency on businesses which have remained unpaid for more than (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has power to impose civil sanctions upon both businesses and individuals which require payment of financial penalties. The Environment Agency as yet has no unpaid financial penalty orders against businesses.
	However, fines for environmental offences are imposed by the courts. The Environment Agency holds a national database which records all convictions for environmental offences and the fines and costs imposed by the courts in consequence of those convictions, but rely upon the court service to undertake recording and enforcement of unpaid fines.

Ex-gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes administered by her Department in the last two years.

Richard Benyon: The Department does not estimate a value for possible claims that may be settled by means of ex-gratia payments. It deals with claims on a case-by-case basis; any ex-gratia payments made are then included under losses and special payments which are published in DEFRA's Annual Report and Accounts.

Farms: Crown Estates

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of The Crown Estates New Farm Business Tenancy lease in helping farmers mitigate the effect of marketplace volatility.

James Paice: No assessment has been made by DEFRA of the new arrangement for Farm Business Tenancy agreements, which was introduced by the Crown Estates in 2011. However, I understand, under the arrangement, the lease creates a direct link between rental and commodity prices and that this approach has been widely welcomed by tenants, their representatives and the industry alike.

Fishing Vessels

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2012, Official Report, column 425W, on fishing vessels: scallops, how the UK complies with the European Commission control regulation stating that lists of over 15 metre vessels must be kept on a central website and on FIDES; and where such information is kept.

Richard Benyon: The Western Waters regime sets requirements for the production of lists of vessels in terms of all vessels over 15 metres overall length that can fish in the areas covered by the regime, with a separate requirement to list all vessels over 10 meters overall length that can fish in the Biologically Sensitive Area off the coast of Ireland. The Marine Management Organisation's (MMO) website contains regularly updated lists of all UK registered fishing vessels exceeding 10 metres overall length at:
	http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/statistics/vessel.htm
	A separate listing of vessels specifically related to the regime is not provided as it is UK policy that every vessel over 10 metres overall length can fish within the western waters by virtue of their UK fishing licence. The list of vessels produced by the MMO forms the basis of the UK submission to the FIDES reporting system as required by the regime.

Floods

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Environment Agency staff were required to stay overnight in areas of flood risk to deal with the flooding events in June and July 2012; and from which offices they were deployed.

James Paice: The majority of staff deployed for the six flood events this summer were deployed within their own region. Using the Environment Agency inter-regional aid arrangements it deployed 32 members of staff from the following offices: Shrewsbury, Henley in Arden, Nottingham, Solihull, Bridgewater, Peterborough and Oxford. They travelled to: Sale, Newcastle, Preston, Warrington, Leeds.
	During major events the Environment Agency manage its resources nationally. Resources are deployed against the current incident picture and using the best intelligence available, for example the Flood Guidance Statement issued by the Flood Forecasting Centre.
	The Environment Agency has a single Agency approach to its response to ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively; This includes all facets of its responses from media staff to field staff deployed on the ground.

Floods

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the public purse was of food and accommodation for Environment Agency staff deployed to areas of flood risk in June and July 2012.

James Paice: The cost of food and accommodation for Environment Agency staff deployed to areas of flood risk during the period 1 June to 31 July 2012 was £3,324.

Floods

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Environment Agency staff were required to travel and stay overnight to deal with the flooding events in June and July 2012; by which means they travelled; and what the cost to the public purse was of this travel.

James Paice: The majority of Environment Agency staff deployed for the six flood events this summer were deployed within their own regions. Using the Environment Agency inter-regional aid arrangements it deployed 32 members of staff. The following table shows how they travelled and covers the period 1 June to 31 July 2012:
	
		
			  Mode of travel Number of staff required to travel Cost of travel (£) 
			 1. Agency vehicles 31 2,046 
			 2. Flight (Exeter to Manchester) (1)1 298 
			 3. Train (2)1 132 
			 (1) Outward journey. (2) Return journey. 
		
	
	The Environment Agency continually reviews its travel policy to ensure that it reflects value for money, best use of staff time and commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. The current policy came into effect on 1 June 2010. It states that:
	'under normal operating circumstances travel by air will not be permitted for journeys within England and Wales'
	and that
	'all requests for air travel must have a good business justification and will be personally scrutinised and approved'
	by senior managers. To be considered, staff must provide details of alternative travel options, costs and duration. All staff are actively encouraged to consider other means of transport.
	The current travel policy encourages a hierarchy of options for all travel, starting with not travelling at all.

Floods

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional payments and benefits are payable to Environment Agency staff deployed to areas at risk of flooding at times of high risk.

James Paice: During ongoing incidents, the following pay and benefit arrangements may apply:
	Staff eligible for overtime (Grades 1 to 4) claim overtime at 1.5 times their standard hourly rate, except for Sundays and anytime between 12 am and 6 am on weekdays when they receive overtime at two times their standard hourly rate.
	Staff above the overtime threshold (Grade 5 and above) are eligible to claim overtime at the fixed rate of £24.37 per hour. This rate applies at any time of the day or week.
	Senior managers receive no additional benefits for taking part in ongoing incident responses.
	On some occasions, and in agreement with the relevant managers, time off in lieu may be taken as an alternative to claiming overtime.
	The Environment Agency and DEFRA are reviewing these arrangements.

Floods: Greater London

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proposed Salmons Brook Flood Alleviation works on Enfield, Southgate constituency in terms of (a) effectiveness, (b) value for money, (c) effect on the local environment and (d) sustainable development.

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proposed Salmons Brook Flood Alleviation works on Enfield North constituency in terms of (a) effectiveness, (b) value for money, (c) effect on the local environment and (d) sustainable development.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has made an assessment of the Salmons Brook Flood Alleviation works as follows:
	(a) Effectiveness
	The whole scheme will reduce the likelihood of flooding to 1,393 properties, with 552 properties protected against a flood with a one in 75 (1.3%) chance of occurring in any one year. These benefiting properties are virtually all in Lower Edmonton and Edmonton Green.
	(b) Value for Money
	The proposals have an estimated development and construction cost of £15.3 million and a benefit-cost ratio of 6.2 (which means for every £1 invested, £6.20 of benefit would be obtained).
	(c) Effect on the local environment
	The scheme as a whole has had a full Environmental Impact Assessment. This demonstrates that overall the scheme will have a positive impact on wildlife habitats, and will comply with the Water Framework Directive.
	(d) Sustainable development
	The scheme is consistent with the aims of sustainable development in that it will reduce the risks to people and the developed environment from flooding, while minimising the impact on natural river processes and wildlife habitats. Any impacts on the natural river and wildlife habitats have been mitigated within the overall scheme.

Public Forest Estate

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will rule out the use of private finance initiatives for the future funding of the public forest estate.

Richard Benyon: The Independent Panel on Forestry (IPF) published its final report on 4 July. We agree with the panel that the way that the estate is cared for and managed should evolve to meet the challenges ahead of us. We need a new model that is able to draw in additional sources of finance, make best use of Government funding and a means to facilitate wider and more comprehensive community support. Government will now need time to properly consider the work of the panel; we will respond more fully to it by January 2013.

Fuels

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies spent on petrol and diesel costs in each of the last five years.

James Paice: Core DEFRA, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) are unable to identify fuel directly purchased by the organisation. Drivers are reimbursed on a mileage basis, and the payment covers both fuel costs and other expenses such as wear and tear. Any hire car costs recorded for these organisations cannot be divided into fuel and other costs.
	Direct fuel costs for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) are summarised in the following table. The costs are fuel purchased for hire cars (petrol and diesel costs are not separately identifiable) and diesel purchased for their research vessel:
	
		
			 £ 
			  =Hire cars (petrol and diesel) Research vessel (diesel) Total expenditure 
			 2007-08 116,000 541,000 657,000 
			 2008-09 93,000 626,000 719,000 
			 2009-10 111,000 604,000 715,000 
			 2010-11 138,000 664,000 802,000 
			 2011-12 115,000 929,000 1,045,000 
		
	
	Direct fuel costs for the Rural Payments Agency are summarised in the following table. Information prior to 2009-10 is not available as fuel costs were not recorded separately from other costs. It is not possible to identify petrol and diesel costs separately.
	
		
			  Total expenditure (£) 
			 2007-08 n/a 
			 2008-09 n/a 
			 2009-10 148,183 
			 2010-11 172,026 
			 2011-12 213,154

Game: Animal Welfare

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ban the practice of caging breeding game birds.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes contains guidance on the most appropriate way to house gamebirds. It recommends that barren raised cages for breeding pheasants and small barren cages for breeding partridges should not be used and that any system should be appropriately enriched. We have no plans to ban the use of cages.

Game: Birds

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ban the farming of birds for sport shooting; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Government have no such proposal. I am satisfied that the existing legislation and code of practice provide the necessary protection for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sport shooting.
	The welfare of gamebirds for sport shooting is a devolved matter and separate regulations can be brought forward by the Welsh Government, if they so wish.

Manchester Declaration

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department and its agencies have made on implementation of the Manchester Declaration of 2005.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is supporting the Government's approach to "Digital by Default", as recommended by the UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox in her report published in November 2010. DEFRA's digital strategy will be published alongside the Government's digital strategy in December 2012.
	The Manchester Declaration has been superseded by the Malmo Declaration and eGovernment Action Plan (2011-15) and the broader Digital Agenda for Europe. DEFRA and its agencies are working and contributing to its implementation, including representatives on appropriate working groups. The UK Cabinet Office is leading the UK contribution to the eGovernment Action Plan.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 8 June 2012 with regard to Ms M Bloom.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), replied to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 14 July.

Nature Conservation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on biodiversity conservation in (a) England and (b) the British Overseas Territories in 2011-12.

Richard Benyon: Details of DEFRA spend on biodiversity conservation in England in 2011-12 are provided in the following table. These figures represent DEFRA programme spend and spend by the wider DEFRA network but do not include staff costs. They also include total agri-environment scheme expenditure and the DEFRA biodiversity research programme, of which a major share is judged to be spent on biodiversity in England.
	
		
			 Estimated public expenditure by DEFRA network organisations on biodiversity conservation in England 
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 
			 DEFRA: Agri-environment schemes(1) 413.1 
			   
			 Other DEFRA expenditure:  
			 Biodiversity programme 2.7 
			 Research(1) 7.8 
			   
			 Environment Agency 25.3 
			 Forestry Commission 18.0 
			 Natural England 25.3 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 3.2 
			 DEFRA network total(1) 495.4 
			 (1) Total scheme and research expenditure, consisting largely of work related to biodiversity in England. (2) Totals may not add due to rounding. Note: Figures are provisional estimates pending finalisation of accounts. 
		
	
	Natural England spend in previous years included the general grant to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), which is no longer reported in these estimates. However, both AONBs and National Parks continue to spend part of their DEFRA funding on biodiversity conservation.
	DEFRA spend on biodiversity conservation in the British Overseas Territories in 2011-12 is estimated to be £2,969,140. This includes commitments under the Darwin Initiative and support for projects to address invasive non-native species. It also includes spend by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. It does not include spend by others, for example the Governments of the Overseas Territories themselves, which are principally responsible for biodiversity conservation in their territories.

Otters: Kent

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the size of the otter population in Kent;
	(2)  whether she has plans to reintroduce otters to Kent.

Richard Benyon: Since the publication of the last National Otter Survey report covering 2009-10 otter signs have been found in Kent confirming that the species is now present throughout England. This demonstrates the slow but gradual recovery of otter populations over this period, moving from west to east.
	It is currently not possible to estimate otter abundance from the quantity and distribution of otter signs and sightings. Research investigating the possibility of assessing numbers of otters from DNA or chemical analysis of spraint (otter faeces) is ongoing.
	There are no plans to reintroduce otters into any county; they have returned naturally.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which occasions her parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with her or on her behalf since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: Since May 2010, there have been no occasions on which the parliamentary private secretary of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has travelled overseas with her or on her behalf.

Performance Appraisal

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) black and minority ethnic staff, (b) employees with disabilities, (c) employees aged over 50 and (d) part-time employees in (i) her Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) its non-departmental bodies received each performance mark in each year between 2008 and 2011.

Richard Benyon: The percentage of (a) black and minority ethnic staff, (b) employees with disabilities, (c) employees aged over 50 and (d) part-time employees in core DEFRA who received each performance marking between 2008-11 is given in the following tables. Top performers received a performance mark of 1. The information requested for DEFRA agencies and NDPBs could be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.
	Moderation statistical analysis shows individual categories of marks by diversity grouping in percentages only.
	
		
			 Table 1: Core DEFRA 2008-11 Performance Management Scheme moderation marking for staff grades below senior civil service (SCS) 
			 Mark Age50+ (percentage) Disability (percentage) Working patternPart-time (percentage) EthnicityBlack, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME)(percentage) Total staff number moderated 
			 2008-09      
			 1 7 6 9 4 — 
			 2 16 13 20 17 — 
			 3 40 42 44 47 — 
			 4 26 25 20 22 — 
			 5 10 14 7 11 — 
			 Total — — — — 2,145 
			       
			 2009-10      
			 1 4 5 4 4 — 
			 2 12 15 17 15 — 
			 3 65 60 69 63 — 
			 4 19 20 10 19 — 
			 Total — — — — 2,116 
			       
			 2010-11      
			 1 4 4 4 3 — 
			 2 13 18 20 17 — 
			 3 66 59 66 65 — 
			 4 17 19 11 15 — 
			 Total — — — — 2,168 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Core DEFRA 2008-11 Performance Management Scheme moderation marking for senior civil service staff (SCS) 
			 Mark Age50+ (percentage) Disability (percentage) Working patternPart-time (percentage) EthnicityBAME (percentage) Total number of staff moderate d 
			 2008-09      
			 1 18 — — — — 
			 2 39 — — — — 
			 3 36 — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 4 7 — — — — 
			 Total — — — — 142 
			       
			 2009-10      
			 1 15 — — — — 
			 2 34 — — — — 
			 3 43 — — — — 
			 4 8 — — — — 
			 Total — — — — 147 
			       
			 2010-11      
			 Total — — — — 154 
		
	
	The figures for staff declared as disabled, BAME, or working part-time could not be given on confidentiality grounds, as they could lead to the identification of individuals. The percentage breakdown for the 50+ age group for 2010-11 could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost.

Performance Appraisal

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure the system of relative performance management in her Department, its Executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies does not deliver discriminatory markings to those with protected characteristics.

Richard Benyon: There are several relative performance management systems operating across core DEFRA and a number of its Executive agencies and NDPBs. Details of the steps taken within each system to mitigate the risk of discriminatory markings is detailed as follows:
	Core DEFRA (including the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) use a system based on a model developed by Civil Service Employee Policy.
	The steps taken to mitigate the risk of discriminatory markings are:
	training managers on the consistent application of the performance management process;
	provision of an e-learning package on unconscious bias for managers;
	provision of online guidance, including from the Employers Forum for Disability for staff;
	specific guidance on making reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, which includes how this relates to performance management;
	the use of consistency sampling to help ensure objectives are appropriate for staff;
	publish the breakdown of performance markings by business areas and diversity characteristics on the intranet to ensure openness and transparency;
	a validation process for performance ratings across grade bands and peer groups;
	continuing review and updating of the DEFRA’s Equality Impact Assessment of the Performance Management system;
	undertake a diversity analysis of mid and end-year performance ratings and develop actions to address any issues raised by the results;
	a process which allows for appeals against operation of the performance management process; and
	work with the Department's diversity networks to address any issues arising from the operation of the system.
	The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has the following steps in place to mitigate the risk of discriminatory markings in its performance management system:
	clear objective setting, ongoing reviews and feedback to ensure that staff understand the standards that are expected of them;
	heads of function scrutinise the allocation of the performance markings to ensure consistency of markings that are awarded;
	results are published for business areas and by grade and gender on the intranet to ensure openness and transparency;
	training for managers on consistent application of the procedure; and
	work with trade unions and equality impact assessments when any changes are made to the appraisal system.
	The Environment Agency (EA) has the following steps in place to mitigate the risk of discriminatory markings in its performance management system:
	review is carried out to analyse the ratings people receive to ensure consistency and fairness of application in the system. Ratings are reviewed by gender, age, race/ethnicity and grade to assess the possibility of any discriminatory marking;
	an indicative view of ratings in the third quarter of the performance year are subject to a peer review process to ensure consistency. If there are any areas that require further investigation, this is done immediately;
	the same peer review process takes place at the end of the final quarter, before final management approval for ratings is given; and
	an appeals process, which allows individuals to appeal should they believe their rating is incorrect.
	The remaining Executive agencies and NDPBs do not currently operate a relative performance management system.

Performance Appraisal

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what box marking staff who have taken redundancy from her Department of each (a) ethnicity and (b) age received in the last performance assessment before they left her Department between 2008 and 2011; and how many such staff had a disability.

Richard Benyon: The information requested could be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.

Plastic Bags

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the number of single-use plastic bags.

Richard Benyon: We are looking carefully at all options to make sure that we further reduce the use of single use carrier bags, and are monitoring closely the results of the charging scheme in Wales and the outcome of the Scottish consultation on a charge. Wales introduced a minimum 5p charge on carrier bags in 2011.
	We expect retailers to take responsibility and cut down on the number of single-use carrier bags they hand out, but the ability to take action also lies with consumers who can decline to accept them in favour of reusable alternatives. We will be exploring the reasons behind the recent increase in distribution with retailers.

Plastics: Recycling

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the capacity for collecting and locally sorting waste plastic packaging; and what account she took of that capacity in developing the national plastic packaging recycling targets for 2013 to 2017;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the scale of improvements required in local collection and sorting facilities to achieve the Department's plastic packaging recycling targets for 2013 to 2017.

Richard Benyon: An assessment of the capacity for collecting and locally sorting waste plastic packaging was made as part of the impact assessment which accompanied the consultation on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste for 2013 to 2017, which closed on 10 February. Decisions on the final targets took this into account.
	Data provided in response to the consultation suggested that there was at least 250kt of available sorting capacity at materials recovery facilities in the UK against a requirement of around 600kt, not taking into account any additional planned developments over the period 2013-17.
	It was also suggested that there was significant spare capacity within the existing collection infrastructure, so that additional infrastructure is unlikely to be needed until 2016-17.

Plastics: Recycling

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons her Department has proposed plastic packaging recycling targets that differ from those recommended by the Advisory Committee on Packaging.

Richard Benyon: The analysis conducted as part of the impact assessment, which accompanied the consultation on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste for 2013-17, showed that the proposed targets had the greatest net benefit.
	The Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) is an important source of advice. The Government considered its views, along with a wide range of other relevant organisations and people. The formal ACP consultation response supported the option for higher targets, which would put the UK in the top quartile for plastic recycling in the EU.

Plastics: Recycling

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the potential level of plastic packaging that may be exported to meet recycling targets for 2013 to 2017; and if she will estimate the economic value of those exports.

Richard Benyon: The impact assessment, which accompanied the consultation on recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste for 2013-17, assumed the existing split between UK reprocessing and export would be maintained for the period 2013-17.
	On that basis we expect the revenue generated by the export of plastic packaging for recycling over the period to be approximately £110 million.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 333W and 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 21W, on publications, how much her Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not keep central records of expenditure on the publication of circulars, consultations and other publications; it would be disproportionate to do so.

Ragwort

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many enforcement notices have been served under the Weeds Act 1959 in respect of ragwort in each of the last five years; and upon whom.

Richard Benyon: The figures for enforcement notices served (under Weeds Act 1959) in the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			 Notices served 
			  Number 
			 2006 19 
			 2007 52 
			 2008 39 
			 2009 40 
			 2010 24 
			 2011 46 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide separate figures for the different weeds specified in the Weeds Act, but of these enforcement notices, around 95% relate to ragwort.
	We are unable to disclose names and addresses of those upon whom enforcement notices have been served due to the Data Protection Act.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial support (a) her Department and (b) the Rural Payments Agency provided to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in each of the last three years; and what such funds were for (i) agricultural-environmental and (ii) other purposes.

James Paice: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my Noble Friend, Lord Henley to Baroness Byford, on 6 June 2011, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA61, for details pertaining to funding provided to the RSPB in the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	For financial year 2011-12 core DEFRA provided payments to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds with a total value of £811,930. To identify which funds were for (a) agricultural-environment and (b) other purposes would incur disproportionate cost.
	The Rural Payments Agency has made no direct payments to the RSPB during the past three years. However, the Scottish Government's Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID) have made payments to RSPB on behalf of the RPA. The following is the only analysis of spend made to the RSPB by SGRPID and is shown by category in the following tables.
	
		
			 Payments made by SGRPID to RSPB in the scheme years 2009-11: MLC 150/0007 
			 Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) 
			 £ 
			  Scotland element English element Northern Irish element Welsh element Overall total 
			 2009 384,254.26 386,666.11 8,342.88 39,491.28 818,754.53 
			 2010 452,737.42 422,514.98 9,775.67 33,785.33 918,813.40 
			 2011 136,831.50 869,568.32 5,090.81 34,026.02 1,045,516.65 
			 Total 973,823.18 1,678,749.41 23,209.36 107,302.63 2,783,084.58 
		
	
	
		
			 Scottish Beef Calf Scheme (SBCS) 
			  £ 
			 2009 13,684.16 
			 2010 12,380.48 
			 2011 9,951.35 
			 Total 36,015.99 
		
	
	
		
			 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 
			  £ 
			 2009 77,320.80 
			 2010 78,690.72 
			 2011 85,783.55 
			 Total 241,795.07 
		
	
	
		
			 Land Management Contract Menu Scheme (LMCMS) 
			 £ 
			  Management of rush pasture (214) Animal health and welfare (215) Total 
			 2009 only 3,716.25 650.00 4,366.25 
			 Total 3,716.25 650.00 4,366.25 
		
	
	
		
			 Rural Priorities (RP) and Agri-Environment Legacy 
			 £ 
			  Forestry Agri-environment legacy Total 
			 2009 0.00 19,540.12 19,540.12 
			 2010 290,414.58 172,824.41 463,238.99 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 29,106.92 527,642.28 556,749.20 
			 Total 319,521.50 720,006.81 1,039,528.31 
		
	
	
		
			 Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme (SFGS) 
			  £ 
			 2009 only 883.00 
			 Total 883.00 
		
	
	
		
			 Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) 
			  £ 
			 2009 only 2,374.75 
			 Total 2,374.75 
		
	
	
		
			 Leader 
			  £ 
			 2009-10 53,670.36 
			 2010-11 137,212.66 
			 2011-12 50,066.63 
			 Total 240,949.65 
		
	
	
		
			 Skills Development Scheme 
			  £ 
			 2009 only 1,804.22 
			 Total 1,804.22

Rural Areas: Weather

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Commission for Rural Communities is monitoring the effects on the rural economy of adverse weather during summer 2012.

Richard Benyon: The Commission for Rural Communities is not monitoring the impacts of adverse weather on the rural economy.
	DEFRA continues to keep a close eye on the effects of adverse weather on the rural economy and communities through its established rural networks. In addition, the Environment Agency and the Met Office continue to monitor water flows and possible flooding situations.

Rural Areas: Weather

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effects on the (a) rural economy and (b) farming industry of the adverse weather during summer 2012.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA officials are in regular contact with the farming industry to understand the impact of the adverse weather. In addition, the Environment Agency and the Met Office have been monitoring water flows and possible flooding situations.
	In respect of the rural economy, DEFRA continues to work across Government to ensure that measures designed to support economic growth are having proportionate and positive impacts in rural areas. Last year's Rural Economy Growth Review included targeting £100 million of Rural Development Programme for England funding towards stimulating growth.
	For crops, many are still some way away from harvest and an improvement in weather can have a very positive impact. Also, the effects are not uniform across the country or across any particular crop type or soil type. But it is too early to write off the crop, as sustained warm weather could turn things around.

Rural Areas: Weather

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will consider providing financial assistance to rural businesses and traders affected by the cancellation of country shows and events during summer 2012.

Richard Benyon: Like previous Governments, it is not this Government's policy to compensate for damages from extreme weather events. That said we are ensuring that taxpayers' money is being spent on long term solutions to support rural communities and rural businesses.

Rural Growth Networks

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding arrangements for the Rural Growth Networks will be finalised before the end of August.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is currently working with each of the Rural Growth Networks to develop a sufficiently detailed delivery plan that will set out their funding requirements and ultimately provide us with the clearly defined milestones needed. This will give us the basis for drawing up formal funding agreements and we are aiming to have agreed these by August. Ahead of a formal funding agreement being in place and to help the networks develop their delivery plans, each network has been offered an advance of up to £50,000 of development funding (which forms part of the total amount of funding that will be offered).

Scallops

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Marine Management Organisation uses a calendar day or a 24-hour period to assess a day of fishing within the Western Waters scallop regime.

Richard Benyon: Under the Western Waters scallop regime, the Marine Management Organisation calculate a day as a continuous period of 24 hours or part thereof, during which a fishing vessel is present within ICES Area VII and fishing for scallops, as defined in the UK fishing licence.

Scallops

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Marine Management Organisation introduced its current method of assessing a day of fishing within the Western Waters scallop regime.

Richard Benyon: The Marine Management Organisation moved over to use a 24 hour period for the purposes of monitoring effort uptake at the vessel level under the Western Waters scallop regime. The UK adopted a new management approach for this fishery when quarterly limits were introduced from 17 February 2012.

Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff of her Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date.

Richard Benyon: On 4 July 2012 three core DEFRA employees were recorded on the Department's redeployment register. None of these employees had been on the register for more than six months at this date.

Sustainable Development

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government plan to publish departmental sustainable development headline indicators.

James Paice: A new set of sustainable development indicators were published for consultation on 24 July 2012.

Water Charges

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure households are on the best value water tariff.

Richard Benyon: The independent regulator Ofwat regulates prices for water and sewerage services. Every five years Ofwat sets price limits for the water and sewerage companies. This is the amount they are able to charge customers and this process is known as a Price Review. At Price Review, Ofwat sets a five year price cap to which the rate of inflation is added annually.
	The most recent, in 2009, set price limits for 2010-15. Price limits are determined by working out how much revenue each company must collect from its customers to run their businesses efficiently, for example in order to supply the water and build and maintain infrastructure.
	Encouraging innovation and ensuring that companies are more efficient and customer focused were key themes of the Water White Paper, published December 2011. It explained that Government are introducing a package of reforms to increase competition and innovation to drive cost-effective responses to future challenges to limit the future impact on customers' bills. The Water White Paper can be viewed at the DEFRA website.
	Customers are able to choose to be metered according to their volumetric use of water and metering enables water companies to offer more innovative tariffs such as seasonal and rising block tariffs.
	Following the Water White Paper, on 22 June the Government published guidance to enable companies to create social tariffs to reduce the charges of those customers who would otherwise struggle to afford to pay their bills in full. Companies will be able to offer social tariffs from April 2013.

Water: Meters

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department provides to water companies on (a) providing their customers with accurate information on the likely effect on their bills of installing a water meter and (b) complying with customers' requests to install a water meter.

Richard Benyon: In the Water White Paper, ‘Water for Life’, published in December 2011, we encouraged water companies to explain the likely benefits of metering to customers, promote payment plans and demonstrate sample bills. We encouraged companies to do more to actively promote metering to those who would benefit and make switching as simple as possible for those who choose to do so. We stated that this should form part of wider programmes designed to help those with affordability problems and link to advice on water efficiency. The Consumer Council for Water and water companies have calculators on their websites where customers can calculate whether they are likely to save money by opting to pay for their water according to its volumetric use.
	Under the Water Industry Act 1999, all household customers have the right at any time to opt to pay via a meter. Water companies have to install a meter on request unless this is not reasonably practicable or would cause the company unreasonable expense. Customers are able to revert back to unmeasured charging within a year of switching to a meter if they choose to do so. The Government's Charging Guidance on ‘Water Industry Act 1999 Delivering the Government's Objectives’ stated that where companies are not able to install a meter they should offer customers the option to move to an assessed charge based on their likely water use.

Wildlife: Circuses

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent on impact assessments, circus inspections and other research and investigations in support of her proposed licensing regime for wild animals in circuses. [Official Report, 17 September 2012, Vol. 550, c. 3MC.]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's budget from July 2012 to October 2012 for the team tasked with taking forward the implementation of licensing regulations, as well as developing the case for a ban on the use of performing wild animals in travelling circuses, is £261,000.

Wood: Recycling

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations her Department has received regarding any possible health hazards associated with wood recycling.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has not received any recent representations regarding possible health hazards associated with waste wood recycling.
	Wood recycling and other waste treatment operations are regulated by the Environment Agency under the environmental permitting regime in order to prevent harm to human health and the environment.

JUSTICE

Aiding and Abetting

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the use of the law on joint enterprise;
	(2)  when he expects guidelines on the use of joint enterprise law by the Crown Prosecution Service to be published.

Crispin Blunt: Work on the guidance for prosecutors on dealing with joint enterprise cases is ongoing, and the CPS have informed my officials that it will be available shortly. Neither the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), nor I have had any recent discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions about this issue.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Crispin Blunt: The Department makes payments to a large number of organisations, including registered charities, and voluntary and community groups. It would incur disproportionate cost to research each organisation, check whether it is a registered charitable organisation or not and disclose what payments were made in the past three years. Payments in the form of grants and contracts are made to organisations that provide a wide range of services, such as the provision of support for victims of crime, mediation services, work to reduce crime and debt advice.
	In 2011-12, the core Department made grant payments totalling £50 million to various organisations. Information about organisations funded through MoJ victim and witness specific funding streams from 2011-14 is available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/transparency-data/victims-witnesses-funding-awards
	In addition to these grants, the Department is providing Victim Support, the principal provider of support for victims and witnesses of crime, with grant funding of £38 million per year until 2014 to invest in long-term service provision focused on those victims and witnesses of the most serious crimes, those who are most vulnerable and those who are persistently targeted.
	The Department also has a £2 million per year contract with The Salvation Army until 2013 to coordinate the provision of support services for victims of human trafficking.

Civil Disorder: Fixed Penalties

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many penalty notices for disorder were issued in each of the last five years; and how many were not paid in each year;
	(2)  how many penalty notices were issued for shoplifting goods up to the value of £200 in each of the last five years; and how many were not paid in each year.

Crispin Blunt: The number of penalty notices for disorder (PND) issued for theft of goods up to the value of £200 and the number issued in total for each of the last five years can be viewed in the following table.
	The recipient of a PND has 21 days either to pay the penalty or seek a court hearing. No admission of guilt is required; by paying the penalty a recipient discharges all liability for conviction for the offence. If no action is taken a fine of one and half times the penalty amount is registered against the recipient of the notice. The courts are responsible for enforcing fines arising from unpaid PNDs in the same way as any other unpaid fine.
	We can provide information on the number persons who have paid a PND in full within or outside the 21 day period, but are unable to collate information on the result of the other outcomes listed in the said table.
	
		
			 Number of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued to all persons aged 16 and over, by offence, 2007-11—England and Wales 
			    Of those paid Other outcome 
			  Number issued Total paid in full Paid in full within 21 days Paid in full outside 21 day period Fine registered Court hearing requested PND cancelled Potential prosecution Outcome unknown 
			 Theft (retail under £200)(1)          
			 2007 45,146 19,111 15,390 3,721 24,344 172 988 507 24 
			 2008 45,616 20,903 17,280 3,623 23,090 189 881 540 13 
			 2009 48,161 24,529 20,116 4,413 20,166 163 1,026 2,198 79 
			 2010 40,170 21,804 18,133 3,671 15,468 128 906 1,704 160 
			 2011 34,688 18,411 14,936 3,475 13,630 129 892 1,476 150 
			           
			 Other offences          
			 2007 162,398 87,814 66,743 21,071 65,713 1,081 4,261 3,473 56 
			 2008 130,548 70,386 53,964 16,422 53,065 873 3,208 2,974 42 
			 2009 122,232 65,587 49,718 15,869 47,480 734 3,160 5,059 212 
			 2010 100,599 55,292 42,963 12,329 36,954 620 3,680 3,585 468 
			 2011 92,842 50,008 37,372 12,636 33,902 656 3,993 3,435 848 
			           
			 Total          
			 2007 207,544 106,925 82,133 24,792 90,057 1,253 5,249 3,980 80 
			 2008 176,164 91,289 71,244 20,045 76,155 1,062 4,089 3,514 55 
			 2009 170,393 90,116 69,834 20,282 67,646 897 4,186 7,257 291 
			 2010 140,769 77,096 61,096 16,000 52,422 748 4,586 5,289 628 
			 2011 127,530 68,419 52,308 16,111 47,532 785 4,885 4,911 998 
			 (1 )Offence added with effect from 1 November 2004. Penalty notices are no longer available for theft of goods valued at over £100 and may only be used for criminal damage up to a value of £300 from July 2009 onwards. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Contempt of Court: Non-molestation Orders

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the number of convictions for contempt of court where the offence related to a breach of the terms of a non-molestation injunction order in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The offence of breaching a non-molestation order under section 42A of the Family Law Act 1996 as added by section 1 of the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 states: sub-section (3) where a person is convicted of an offence under this section in respect of any conduct, that conduct is not punishable as a contempt of court; and (4) a person cannot be convicted of an offence under this section in respect of any conduct which has been punished as a contempt of court.
	The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for breach of a non-molestation order in England and Wales in 2009 to 2011 can be viewed in the table. Please note that there were issues in the central recording of offences resulting from a breach of a previously imposed order. These issues have now been resolved, allowing information on convictions for a breach of a non-molestation order to be collated from 2009 onwards.
	
		
			 Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for breach of a non-molestation order(1), England and Wales, 2009-11(2,3) 
			  2009(4) 2010 2011 
			 Found guilty 2,279 2,626 2,552 
			 (1) Includes offences under Family Law Act 1996, s.42A as added by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, s.1. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Following publication of Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 2009 data have been revised. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many payments were made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to (a) person attacked by dogs and (b) persons injured at work in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how much was paid in total in each case.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) can only provide reliable figures for how much it paid in relation to specific injuries, as described in the Tariff of Injuries in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes. No injury descriptions in the Tariff relate specifically to dog attacks or workplace incidents.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority paid to victims of crime in each category of injury in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have arranged for this information to be deposited in the House Library. Some injuries are duplicated because they attracted different amounts of compensation under the 1996, 2001 and 2008 Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes.

Electronic Tagging

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  on how many occasions tagging equipment was found to be faulty in England and Wales in 2011;
	(2)  how many people were found to be in breach for failing to comply with their tagging orders but were subsequently not prosecuted in England and Wales in 2011;
	(3)  how many people who were the subject of an electronic tagging order in England and Wales in 2011 subsequently breached that order;
	(4)  how many cases where people failed to comply with the terms of an electronic tag in England and Wales in 2011 the circumstances of the breach was found to be accidental.

Crispin Blunt: This information is not collected centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost. Information would only be available through a manual trawl of individual case records held by the electronic monitoring service providers to identify the suspected breaches where the equipment was found to be faulty on investigation.
	Where the curfew was a single requirement community order, in 2011 all offenders in England and Wales who committed a more serious breach of a curfew under a community order or suspended sentence were brought back to court by the electronic monitoring companies as required.
	For other types of order, including pre-trial, post-release or where the curfew was part of a multi-requirement order, it is not possible to provide the number of breaches that were brought to court except at disproportionate cost. The electronic monitoring service providers are not advised of the outcomes of witness statements provided to the supervising authority as a result of a breach. Information would only be available through a manual trawl of each authority's records.
	In 2011, 67,979 subjects breached an electronic tagging order in England and Wales. This includes minor breach occasions where a warning letter was issued.
	The data are from the electronic monitoring service providers. The information held refers to breaches reported to the courts or to the relevant authority such as the probation service, Prison Service, Youth Offending Service, or police, or where a warning letter was issued, and does not necessarily relate to breach action taken.
	This information is not collected centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost. Information would only be available through a manual trawl of individual case records held by the electronic monitoring service providers and courts to determine the circumstances of each breach and the outcome of investigations.

Electronic Tagging

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many accredited experts his Department uses to act as expert witnesses in cases of breach of tagging orders.

Crispin Blunt: In cases relating to electronic monitoring, the Ministry of Justice has cited evidence, and relied upon testimony, from Scientific Services Derby Ltd, a provider of forensic services.

Legal Aid Scheme

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much in legal aid payments was recovered by the Legal Services Commission from convicted offenders in each of the last three years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The amount of legal aid payments recovered under recovery of defence cost orders (RDCOs) and Crown court means testing (CCMT) for each of the last three years is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year RDCO CCMT Total recovered 
			 2009-10 939,086 0.00 939,086 
			 2010-11 1,100,351 28,000.00 1,128,351 
			 2011-12 1,058,354 1,888,200.00 2,946,554 
		
	
	For accounting purposes, the amounts recovered under CCMT are only recognised as income once a defendant has been convicted and a final assessment of defence costs has taken place.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he intends to answer the letter sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 30 May 2012 with regard to Hal Husbands.

Kenneth Clarke: I replied to the right hon. Member on 17 July.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if his Department will publish its impact assessment of the proposals to increase the small claims limit for personal injury to £5,000;
	(2)  what provision for legal representation will be available to people unable to afford such representation in personal injury cases below the proposed small claims limit of £5,000.

Jonathan Djanogly: On 2 May 2012, I announced that the Government will consult on whether to amend the small claims threshold for damages for personal injury claims. The consultation document and its related impact assessments will be published shortly and will be available to download from both the Ministry of Justice and Citizen Space websites.
	No decisions will be taken on the way forward in this area until all responses to the consultation document and other stakeholder submissions have been considered.
	Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and HM Treasury officials have been working closely together to develop the consultation proposals and accompanying impact assessments. The latter will consider the effect of the proposals on all impacted groups, including law firms and claimants. The Government welcomes contributions and evidence from all stakeholders on the potential impacts of these proposals on all affected groups.

Prisoners: Eating Disorders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1006W, on prisoners: eating disorders, if he will consider making an assessment of the effect of dietary disorder of prisoners on discipline in British prisons.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has responsibility for providing instructions to all prisons on the provision of meals for prisoners. The most recent guidelines are contained within Prison Service Instruction 44/2010, Catering Meals for Prisoners which became effective from 1 October 2010.
	NOMS believes it provides prisoners with the opportunity to eat a healthy balanced diet. Current requirements specify a minimum set of specifications that all prisons must meet. The prison service has adopted and incorporated specific Government guidelines issued by the Department of Health (DOH) and FSA on eating a healthy diet. These initiatives are based on the recommendations from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).
	In March 2006 the National Audit Office carried out a study on prisoner diet (NAO Report Serving Time: Prisoner Diet and Exercise, March 2006). As part of this report the NAO commissioned a team of consultants from Bournemouth university led by John S A Edwards, Professor of Food Service, to carry out research at eight prisons (four male, two female and two young offenders' institutions). The researchers analysed meals offered to prisoners, including 'vulnerable groups', for their nutritional value in terms of energy content; proportions of energy derived from carbohydrate, protein and fat, their dietary fibre content; and the amount of vitamins and minerals they contained.
	The report concluded that food offered to prisoners is in line with Government recommendations on healthy eating and on the whole prisoners eat more healthily than the general population.
	Currently NOMS has no plans to fund research or carry out an assessment on dietary disorders and behaviour relating to diet.

Prisoners: Vietnam

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Vietnamese children and young adults have been accommodated in the prison estate in the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the numbers of Vietnamese aged 15 to 20 held in prison establishments in England and Wales, as at 30 June of each year.
	
		
			 Aged 2010 2011 2012 
			 15 to 17 18 20 9 
			 18 to 20 63 55 44 
			 Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Mass Media

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many media requests the Prison Service received to enter prisons from (a) broadcast and (b) print media in each of the last three years; and how many were (i) accepted and (ii) rejected.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service desk in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) press office receives a significant number of bids for access to prisons for a variety of reasons. These include covering ongoing news stories, filming dramas, producing documentaries and to collect material for print features. Bids are received via email, phone and from journalists in person. They may go to individual prison staff, the NOMS desk, the MOJ press office newsdesk, Ministers' offices, charities working in prisons, service providers such as primary care trusts, the office of the Prison Service Chief Executive Officer and the private companies running prisons who have their own press offices. Bids from national media are usually channelled to the MOJ press office but some are immediately rejected before they reach press office and regional bids may be accepted by prisons without reference to press office. The MOJ press office does not collate the requests they receive, or progress, centrally.
	As a result it would not be possible, without disproportionate cost, to provide a list of media requests to enter prisons for the past three years.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 631-2W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: Since May 2010 my Department, including its three executive agencies, has spent:
	(a) nil on circulars;
	(b) £61,026 on consultation documents; and
	(c) £80,516 on publications.
	My reply to the hon. Member, dated 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 631-2W, should have stated that 38 consultation documents had been issued since May 2010, and not 37.
	In the time available, my answer above at (b) only covers 36 (of 38) consultation exercises, at an average cost of £1,695 per exercise.

Young Offenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to make parents of children under the age of criminal responsibility accountable for criminal offences committed by their children.

Crispin Blunt: The Government have no current plans to bring forward proposals to make parents accountable or responsible for acts committed by children under the age of criminal responsibility.
	The minimum age of criminal responsibility is 10 and the Government have no plans to alter this.
	If a child under the age of 10 behaves antisocially or in a manner which would be criminal if the child were 10 or over, local authorities may seek to intervene on a voluntary basis through measures such as Youth Inclusion Support Panels (YISPs) or agreeing a parenting contract with the parent(s) of the child.
	Where necessary, a local authority may apply for a child safety order which places certain requirements on the child. A parenting order can be attached to a child safety order at any point, compelling the parent(s) to attend a parenting class and take what steps they can to control the child's behaviour. Failure to comply with a parenting order is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Argentina

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Argentinian ambassador on the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Jeremy Browne: I invited Ambassador Castro, along with other South American Heads of Mission in London, to a tour of the Olympic Park in May of this year. General discussions on the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic games were held during the tour. Our embassy in Buenos Aires has maintained an active and productive dialogue with the Argentine Olympic Committee over the last 18 months. I congratulate the Argentine athletes on their performance at the Olympic games, and welcome Argentina's Paralympic Team to London.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his EU counterparts on greater involvement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at an EU level.

Jeremy Browne: In his speech on the UK in Asia in April, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), called for greater European engagement with Asia. The UK plays an active role in encouraging our European partners to increase engagement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states. The UK strongly supported the EU's accession to the ASEAN treaty of amity and cooperation which marked a milestone in deepening relations between the EU and ASEAN.
	The Secretary of State attended the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Brunei in April which agreed a Plan of Action covering the areas on which the EU and ASEAN will co-operate between 2013 and 2017. This will promote substantial EU contributions to ASEAN in the areas of maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations and counter terrorism.
	More broadly, the UK has been working to drive forward greater EU engagement in Asia and worked hard to support the recent joint EU-US statement on co-operation in Asia.

Bangladesh

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Bangladeshi counterpart on the recent decision to suspend the caretaker Government provisions of the Bangladesh constitution.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised the importance of credible elections when he met the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina in July. The British Government believe it is a matter for Bangladesh to decide how best to manage its national elections. Whether or not Bangladesh decides to hold these under a caretaker government, a strong, independent Election Commission is essential to ensure that elections are free, fair and peaceful. The UK. along with the rest of the international community, will be following the process leading up to the elections very closely. We urge all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to bring the situation in Arakan State, Burma, to the attention of the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Secretary-General.

Jeremy Browne: The UK remains one of the most active and vocal members of the international community in raising our concerns about the situation in Burma’s Rakhine (Arakan) state with the Burmese authorities, and we will continue to do so. We have repeatedly called for the Government to put an end to the violence, to allow unhindered humanitarian access to the areas affected, to resolve the issue of nationality and to grant the full respect for human rights to all the people of Burma, notably the Rohingya.
	The UK continues to raise the situation in Burma at the UN Security Council. At our request, we have had three separate briefings in the last eight months from Mr Vijay Nambiar, the Un Secretary-General’s special Adviser on Burma. We have also strongly supported a UN Human Rights Council resolution on Burma this year, which included an extension to the mandate of the UN’s Special Rapporteur for Burma, Mr Tomas Quintana.
	Our attention is now focused on the upcoming UN General Assembly session in the autumn. We continue to stress to the Burmese Government that unless they resolve the many outstanding issues, including the serious situation in Rakhine state, we will press for a UN resolution which highlights the strength of our concerns.

Burma

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the situation of the Rohingya people with Aung San Suu Kyi (a) on her recent visit to London and (b) subsequently.

Jeremy Browne: Both the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and the Prime Minister, raised the plight of the Rohingya community with Aung San Suu Kyi during her recent visit to the UK in June, During their meetings Ministers made clear their concern about the issues affecting the Rohingya, including their rights to nationality.
	Embassy officials remain in regular contact with Aung San Suu Kyi, and continue to express to her the UK's concern about the situation in Rakhine state. We have repeatedly called for the Burmese Government to put an end to the violence, to allow unhindered humanitarian access to the areas affected, to resolve the issue of nationality and to grant the full respect for human rights to all the people of Burma, notably the Rohingya.
	Aung San Suu Kyi was recently named as the chair of a new "Parliamentary Committee on the Rule of Law, Peace and Stability". Its mandate will give her an opportunity to play a more active role in addressing the issues affecting Burma's ethnic communities.

Conciliation Resources

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings his officials had with representatives of Conciliation Resources in 2010-11.

Henry Bellingham: Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office meet regularly with representatives from Conciliation Resources, as they do with many other non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Meetings take place both at British Missions overseas as well as in the UK, sometimes with Conciliation Resources alone or in broader meetings involving other NGOs. There is no central record kept of these meetings: providing a specific number would therefore involve a disproportionate use of staff time.

Conciliation Resources

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what activities funded by his Department Conciliation Resources undertakes in each location in Abkhazia.

David Lidington: A tri-departmental (FCO-DFID-MOD) programme fund, which supports the Government's Building Stability Overseas Strategy, funds Conciliation Resources to run a number of projects in Abkhazia, Georgia. Conciliation Resources' work aims to build links across the conflict divide by bringing people together, and strengthening their ability to resolve the conflict.
	Projects include support for civil society activists in Sukhumi and Gali to increase public participation and activism in conflict resolution, and promote constructive ways to address the conflict; support for two independent Sukhumi-based media organisations working on cross-conflict programmes and initiatives involving Abkhazia's ethnic Georgian community; and support for a discussion club bringing together young people from different locations in Abkhazia who are involved in conflict transformation work inside their own society and with their peers across the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict divide.

Conciliation Resources

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding his Department plans to allocate to Conciliation Resources for the financial year 2013-14.

Henry Bellingham: There are no confirmed plans to allocate funding to Conciliation Resources from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) own budget in financial year 2013-14. The tri-departmental (the FCO, the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence) Conflict Pool is funded by a separate Treasury allocation not from individual departmental budgets, but with projects agreed tri-departmentally and then managed by individual Departments. There are two FCO-managed Conflict Pool projects planned at this stage for financial year (FY) 2013-14 involving funding for Conciliation Resources. The first entitled ‘Building confidence in conflict transformation: the Georgian/Abkhaz context’ involves a planned £150,000 of funding. The second, entitled ‘Technical Support to the Peace Talks between the Government of Ethiopia and the Ogaden National Liberation Front’, involves a planned £90,000 covering FY 2012-13 and FY 2013-14.

European Union

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times the Government has initiated an action for failure to fulfil an EU obligation against another EU member state; and against which member states in each of the last 30 years.

David Lidington: The UK has never initiated an action for failure to fulfil an EU obligation against another member state. It is primarily for the Commission to enforce member states' obligations. In 2008 the Commission brought 207 actions for failure of a member state to fulfil its obligations; in 2009 they brought 142 cases; in 2010 they brought 128 cases; and in 2011 they brought 73 cases. The UK Government is strongly supportive of action to improve the implementation and enforcement of Single Market rules, including through greater transparency in Commission reporting of member state performance and more proactive Commission enforcement.

Guinea-Bissau

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to work with West African nations to tackle the narcotics trade in Guinea-Bissau.

Henry Bellingham: Britain continues to work with its international partners, including the EU, UN and Governments in the region, to prevent the flow of illegal narcotics from Guinea-Bissau to Europe and the UK. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office works closely with Whitehall colleagues, including the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Ministry of Defence, to minimize the spread of the narcotics trade in West Africa which we believe will contribute towards stability in Guinea-Bissau and neighbouring countries. HMS Dauntless participated in an international counter-narcotics exercise, Saharan Express, in April and carried out joint counter-narcotics exercises with the Cape Verdean authorities in May.

Israel

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on steps to end the practice of placing Palestinian children in solitary confinement.

Alistair Burt: I share your concerns about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. We welcomed Israel's decision last year to raise the age of legal majority for Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system, a step we had advocated. I have raised the implementation of this decision with the Israeli ambassador. We continue to call for further improvements, including an end to shackling, an end to night-time arrests of children, and the introduction of audio-visual recording of interrogations. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed these issues with the Israeli Attorney-General on 6 July.
	In addition we have funded and facilitated research into this issue by leading British lawyers. We welcome their independent report entitled “Children in military custody” and share many of the concerns contained in it. We have passed the report to the Israeli authorities and will be urging them to take forward the recommendations.

Libya

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Libyan Government on their decision to ban the security company G4S from the country, where it was due to guard EU officials.

Alistair Burt: Following a request from G4S, the British ambassador to Libya made inquiries of the Libyan Government in order to clarify the position of private security companies (PSCs) in Libya. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed that a licence is required for PSCs to operate in Libya and stated that G4S would not be granted one. The Libyan authorities have since issued an edict (Ministerial Council Decision 248) which appears to prohibit foreign security companies from operating in Libya. We are clarifying the intent and consequences of this decision with the Libyan authorities.

Mali

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the situation in Mali; and what steps his Department is taking to protect UK interests in the region.

Henry Bellingham: The British Government are concerned about the current situation in Mali, particularly in the north, where Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda have consolidated their position. We have long-standing counter-terrorism relationships with countries across North and West Africa as well as with key international partners working to counter the threat from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and ideologically aligned groups.
	We are also concerned about the impact of fighting in Mali on the regional humanitarian crisis. The deterioration in the political and security situation in Mali has directly affected over 442,000 people and exacerbated the chronic food shortages. In response, Britain has now provided £25.4 million in humanitarian aid in total to the Sahel region, including Mali.
	There have been some positive developments in southern Mali. The return of interim President Dioncounda Traore from Paris has enabled the formation of a Government of National Unity, officially announced on 20 August, which incorporates representatives from all sectors of society. Britain, with the international community, is committed to helping the Government of National Unity return Mali to democratic rule, and hold elections, as soon as possible.
	We support the principle of a regional solution to the crisis in Mali. We have assisted the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the past and hope to be able to do so again. We are encouraging ECOWAS to provide further detail of their plans, as requested by the UN Security Council (UNSC), before the UNSC can formally endorse ECOWAS action in Mali.
	Although British interests in the Sahel are modest, our ambassador in Bamako—who also covers Niger—is in regular contact with the small expatriate community in Mali, and with the small number of British businesses there, to update them on the changing situation and to advise on any safety precautions that they should take. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also provides regular, detailed updates to our travel advice.

Mauritius

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the authorities in Mauritius on the trial of those accused of killing Michaela McAreavey.

Henry Bellingham: Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff are in contact with the Mauritian authorities about this case and we understand that they are taking further steps to bring those responsible to justice, including carrying out a further police investigation by a different Team. We await the results of this investigation. We have reiterated our offer of full support to the Irish Government in Dublin and the Irish ambassador, who are rightly taking the lead in providing consular support to the McAreavey family. We stand ready to respond to any further requests for assistance.

Mauritius

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the trial in Mauritius of those accused of killing Michaela McAreavey.

Henry Bellingham: Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff are in contact with the Mauritian authorities about this case and we understand that they are taking further steps to bring those responsible to justice, including carrying out a further police investigation by a different team. We await the results of this investigation. We have reiterated our offer of full support to the Irish Government in Dublin and the Irish ambassador, who are providing consular support to the McAreavey family. We stand ready to respond to any further requests for assistance.

Mexico

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to his Department's Strategy for the Prevention of Torture, what steps he has taken to ensure accountability for the routine use of torture in Mexico is established.

Jeremy Browne: Our embassy in Mexico City pays close attention to the question of accountability for the use of torture. It is aware of the findings of the Human Rights Watch report of November 2011—Neither Rights, Nor Security—which identified serious concerns about the use of torture and extrajudicial executions in five Mexican states. The embassy met the report's authors shortly after its publication report, and has raised our concerns with the relevant authorities, including directly in a number of Mexican states cited in the report. The embassy is actively working with both state and federal authorities to encourage better compliance with international norms against torture.
	The Government of Mexico last year introduced new reforms that will lead to all cases in which torture by members of the military is alleged being tried in civilian courts, rather than under the military system as at present. This is in line with the recommendations of the Inter American Court of Human Rights. Our embassy has urged the Mexican Government to make faster progress on implementation of this reform. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s Director for Human Rights and Democracy, who visited Mexico in May 2012, also encouraged Mexico to move ahead with implementing the recommendations made in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Universal Periodic Review of Mexico in 2009, a number of which related to torture. Once these are implemented they will significantly reduce impunity and increase accountability for torture.

Mexico

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to prevent torture and monitor places of detention in Mexico.

Jeremy Browne: Our embassy in Mexico City works actively with the relevant Mexican authorities to encourage better compliance with international norms against torture to which Mexico is party, such as the UN Convention Against Torture and its optional protocol, Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), which establishes an international inspection system for places of detention. The embassy has met the Federal Prosecutor's human rights office to discuss Mexico's requirements under the Istanbul Protocol, a set of international guidelines for documentation of torture and its consequences. The embassy also works with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in relation to their torture prevention strategy.
	Separately the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s Director for Human Rights and Democracy visited Mexico in May 2012 and encouraged the Mexican Government to implement its agreed human rights reforms. This included encouraging Mexico to complete its implementation of the recommendations made under the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Universal Periodic Review of Mexico in 2009, a number of which related to torture.
	Our embassy also undertakes human rights monitoring activity within Mexico in conjunction with EU partners. Our embassy is the lead among EU missions on human rights in a number of Mexican states including Veracruz and Tabasco. Our officials have visited Veracruz four times this year and held discussions with army, navy and state police commanders to raise awareness of the relevant protocols and standards of treatment. In 2011 embassy staff visited the state of Tabasco as part of a delegation that raised concerns about torture.

Middle East and North Africa

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to consult women's organisations in the Middle East and North Africa on the actions relating to the region in the UK's National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: We regularly consult women individually and as part of our wider dialogue with civil society on the UK’s National Action Plan, and are in contact with a range of organisations on the ground, including women's organisations. We also meet with women's groups and activists from the region when they visit London. Future work will include initiating a North Africa consultation process. In the UK, we will look to take expert advice on this from Gender Action for Peace and Security, an umbrella grouping dedicated to women, peace and security issues, made up of peace and development non government organisations, academics and grassroots peace builders.

Middle East and North Africa

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what formal mechanisms his Department has established to ensure that information gathered through consultation with women's organisations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are included in the development of the UK's MENA National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Development of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional plan is evolving and will be based on consultation and information gathering in the MENA region and in the UK.
	In the region, information will be gathered by embassies through existing formal and informal contact with women's organisations and networks. One of the responsibilities of our Regional Conflict Advisers, officials shortly to be appointed and deployed to key diplomatic posts in the MENA region, will be to develop effective consultation mechanisms with women's organisations in the region in order to underpin our engagement on women's peace and security issues.
	In the UK, we will take expert advice from Gender Action for Peace and Security, an umbrella grouping dedicated to women, peace and security issues, made up of peace and development non government organisation, academics and grassroots peace builders. In collaboration with them, we intend to initiate a North African regional consultation.

Mozambique

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received recent representations (a) from and (b) on behalf of General Jacinto Veloso about a dispute involving British registered and owned companies in Mozambique.

Henry Bellingham: We have received representations on behalf of General Jacinto Veloso in relation to a dispute involving Pathfinder Minerals, a firm listed on the Alternative Investment Market. We have not received any direct representations from General Veloso.

Mozambique

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he met General Jacinto Veloso, a former Government Minister of Mozambique, when the President of Mozambique visited London in May 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) did not meet General Jacinto Veloso during the visit of President Guebuza in May. General Veloso was not present at any meetings involving British Ministers.

Mozambique

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the members were of the official delegation of the President of Mozambique when he visited London in May 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The 47 members of the official delegation were
	1. Armando Emilio Guebuza, President of the Republic of Mozambique.
	2. Oldemiro Julio Marques Baloi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
	3. Filipe Nyusi, Minister of National Defence.
	4. Esperanca Bias, Minister for Mineral Resources.
	5. Armando Inroga, Minister of Industry and Trade.
	6. Major-General Jorge David Gune, Head of the Military House at the President's Office.
	7. Carlos Dos Santos, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mozambique in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
	8. Renato Matusse, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Mozambique for Political Affairs.
	9. Carlos Pessane, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Mozambique for General Matters.
	10. Maria Ines Moiane Dove, Secretary to the President of the Republic of Mozambique.
	11. Marlene Magaia, Press Attache to the President of the Republic of Mozambique.
	12. Francisco Elias Paulo Cigarro, Chief of the State Protocol.
	13. Berta Cossa, Director of the Directorate for Europe and America (DEA), in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
	14. Lourenco Sambo, Director of Investment Promotion Centre.
	15. Jose Amade, Deputy Director of Administration at President's Office.
	16. Sergio Mate, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
	17. Ilda Trigo Raivoso: Second Secretary at the High Commission of the Republic of Mozambique from UK in London.
	18. Afonso Pinto, Head of Department in the Office of the State Protocol.
	19. Laura Guambe, State Protocol Officer.
	20. Eldred Kwame Namitete, State Protocol Officer.
	21. Pedro Massimaculo, Communication and Media Officer at the President's Office.
	22. Filipe Matusse, Physician of the President of the Republic of Mozambique.
	23. Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Samuel Sithole, ADC of the President of the Republic of Mozambique.
	24. Renaldo Mabunda, Technician at the Office of the President.
	25. Bashir Adam Car1m, Technician at the Office of the President.
	26. Ana Maria Vieira, Technician at the State House.
	27. Agostinho Chirindza, Technician at the State House.
	28. Alberto Fernando Tila, Technician at the State House.
	29. Colonel Manuel Lourenco Faranguana, Security Officer/Head of Activities.
	30. Major Joaquim Maponda Chiambiro, Security Officer/Chief of Services.
	31. Captain Raimundo Xadreque Matavele, Security Officer.
	32. Captain Francisco Lambo, Security Officer.
	33. Captain Alige Satepa Mafuca, Security Officer.
	34. Lieutenant Mario Sebastiao Maluane, Security Officer.
	35. Elidio Tembe, Official Photographer of the President's Office.
	36. Eulalio Lucas Monteiro, Official Cameraman of the President's Office.
	37. Joao De Brito Langa, Reporter of the Radio Mozambique (RM).
	38. Emilia Jubeleu Moiane; Reporter of the Television of Mozambique (TVM).
	39. Juca Vicente Gobene, Cameraman of the Television of Mozambique (TVM).
	40. Fatima Mimbiri, Reporter of the Mozambique Information Agency (AIM).
	41. Alirio Joel Arone Chiziane, Cameraman of SAVANA News Paper.
	42. Herminio Jose, Reporter of the MIRAMAR Television.
	43. Mateus Balate, Cameraman of the Miramar Television.
	44. Jaime Cuambe, Reporter of the NOTICIAS News Paper.
	45. Angelo Munguambe, Reporter of the ZAMBEZE News Paper.
	46. Rui De Carvalho, Reporter of the PUBLICO News Paper.
	47. Acamo Maquinasse, Cameraman of the Photographic Training Centre.
	The 35 members of the accompanying business delegation were:
	Nazim Ahmad
	Diogo Cavaco
	Justino Chemane
	Patricio Chemane
	Clesio Eusebio Chivulele
	Celso Ismael Correia
	Carlos Costa
	Jaime Cruz
	Stefanie Dreyer
	Hugo Gomes
	Azmina Goulamaly
	Ismail Harun
	Ibraimo Ibraimo
	Francisco Jothamo
	Aly Junior
	Salimo Jussub
	Junaide Lalgy
	Egidio Leite
	Samuel Jay Levy
	Rufino Felisberto Licuco
	Adriano Maleiane
	Alcides Boavida Manjate
	Roderigo Manuel
	Joao Martins
	Pedro Massinga
	Celia Menezes
	Inaete Merali
	Noor Momade
	Sheila Samuel
	Werner Shofmann
	Rui Tembe
	Afonso Julio Tembisse
	Curratal Aine Usta
	Jacinto Veloso
	Adriano Weng

Palestinians

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has commissioned any independent research into the content of Palestinian Authority TV programming.

Alistair Burt: We have not commissioned any independent research into the content of Palestinian Authority TV programming.
	The British Government oppose the advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence in all circumstances. In response to allegations of anti-Israeli incitement on Palestinian state television, officials from the British consulate general in Jerusalem have raised concerns with the head of the News Department at Palestine TV who stressed that they have strict instructions from the highest Palestinian authorities to prevent the broadcasting of any material that promotes incitement or hatred.

Palestinians

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authority on incitement.

Alistair Burt: We deplore incitement on both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The allegations of Palestinian incitement are largely raised in the context of the Palestinian education system and media. Where specific instances of incitement have occurred, we have raised our concerns about these cases with the Palestinian Authority, including President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, and state media. Most recently our consul general in Jerusalem discussed these issues with PM Fayyad on 27 July.

Paraguay

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the Mercosur decision to suspend Paraguay following the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo.

Jeremy Browne: On 29 June 2012, a Mercosur Summit formalised Paraguay's political (although not economic) suspension from Mercosur. Paraguay cannot participate, vote or veto any measures of the bloc until it is re-admitted. We expect the suspension to continue until the next presidential elections in April 2013.
	The UK has carefully followed the situation in Paraguay and continues to keep it under close review. We are taking account of ongoing work and discussions in the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the European Union to ensure Paraguay respects its international commitments to human rights and to uphold democracy and the rule of law. We welcome the recent decision by the OAS to send a mission to observe the next general elections on 21 April 2013.
	We are committed to strengthening our relationship with Paraguay. We plan to re-open an embassy in Asuncion in mid 2013. This new embassy will further strengthen British diplomatic engagement in the Latin American region. It will help to unlock commercial opportunities for British companies in this significant market. And it will allow us to work closely with Paraguay on regional issues such as counter-narcotics and organised crime. We will also be looking at ways of supporting democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Paraguay.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, columns 242-3W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

David Lidington: Many of our diplomatic posts overseas publish documents that are relevant to their work. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information about the cost of these documents centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Recruitment

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since January 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The following table shows the amount spent by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search in every month since January 2012.
	The FCO uses recruitment agencies to attract a wide range of applicants to permanent or fixed-term roles to ensure its work force is as diverse and highly skilled as possible. For specialist recruitment campaigns, agencies are better placed to target applicants with the most relevant skills within that sector. A competitive tendering process is run to select an agency for external recruitment campaigns. This has proven to be more cost-effective than in-house recruitment.
	The figures cover recruitment for UK-based members of staff only—figures for recruitment undertaken by overseas posts advertising for local staff positions are not held centrally. All of the positions were approved for external recruitment as either business-critical or a frontline service, in accordance with the terms of the Government-wide recruitment freeze.
	
		
			 Month 2012 Recruitment services (£) Executive search (£) 
			 January 12,000.00 0 
			 February 16,984.81 0 
			 March 8,520.00 0 
			 April 6,960.00 0 
			 May 0 0 
			 June 10,929.83 0 
			 July 6,840.94 0 
			 August Not yet available Not yet available 
			 Note: Figures for January and February have increased since the table published in my answer to the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas) of 8 February 2012, Official Report, column 307W, due to further invoices being paid.

Russia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the outcome of discussions at the UK-Russia Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue on (a) the imprisonment of members of Pussy Riot and (b) other matters.

David Lidington: Human rights form an important part of the UK-Russia relationship, and the UK-Russia Human Rights Dialogues provide a valuable platform to share experience, discuss concerns and offer cooperation, both in the domestic sphere and internationally. This year senior officials had a detailed exchange with Russian counterparts on a wide range of issues, including legislation on non-governmental organisations, the North Caucasus, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, the protection of human rights defenders and journalists, and the Magnitsky case.
	The Pussy Riot case was also raised. The UK delegation underlined its concerns about the negative impact of the band members' detention on the development of civil society in Russia. More recently, the Prime Minister raised human rights issues, including concerns around the Pussy Riot case and its impact on the development of democracy in Russia, with President Putin during their meeting on 2 August. On 17 August, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), made clear our concerns about the verdict of the trial, which calls into question Russia's commitment to protect fundamental rights and freedoms.

South Sudan

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the political situation in South Sudan.

Henry Bellingham: We remain concerned by the political situation in South Sudan, which has been affected by disputes with Sudan as well as inter-communal violence within South Sudan. It is encouraging that negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan on 2 August have led to some agreements, including a provisional deal on oil. This will in time boost South Sudan's struggling economy, and assist the growing numbers of South Sudanese who arc dependent on humanitarian assistance from international donors. We urge the Government of South Sudan, as well as that of Sudan, to resolve their remaining differences at the next round of talks in Addis Ababa beginning on 3 September, which will allow the people of both countries the security and prosperity they deserve. The UK will continue to provide political, development and humanitarian support to South Sudan.

Syria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Chippenham of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 45, on Syria, what progress has been made by HM Ambassador to the United Nations in securing sufficient diplomatic support to take a resolution to the UN Security Council referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Referral to the International Criminal Court requires a UN Security Council resolution and so far Russia and China have not supported any UN Security Council resolution on Syria. They vetoed the latest resolution on 19 August. However, we continue to work on accountability issues. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised the issue with other Security Council members while in New York for the UN Security Council Ministerial meeting on 30 August.
	We are clear that all those responsible for atrocities in Syria should be held to account. The Commission of Inquiry has made clear that the abuses committed by anti-government armed groups did not reach the gravity, frequency and scale of the violations committed by Government forces and the Shabbiha.

Taxis

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on taxis for its staff in each of the last two years.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently uses two contracts in the UK with private hire companies: Addison Lee, covering the London area, and Raffles Taxis, covering the Milton Keynes area.
	The following spend for each of these two suppliers for FCO and FCO Services, is as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Addison Lee Raffles 
			 2010-11   
			 FCO UK 164,303 20,699 
			 FCO Services 23,268 110,418.92 
			    
			 2011-12   
			 FCO UK 146,143.40 12,970.26 
			 FCO Services 24,324.70 145,604.21 
		
	
	Procurement activity overseas is devolved to our network of over 260 posts across 170 countries. Information on taxi use by FCO staff overseas is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Like all Government Departments, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) ensures we use taxpayers' money very carefully to help reduce the overall costs of Government. Staff therefore are only allowed to use taxis in exceptional circumstances, when public transport is not available, or when their line manager agrees that taking a taxi will help keep a staff member safe during unsocial hours. As well as approver checks, expense claims will be subject to retrospective audit checks.
	FCO Services is a Trading Fund which operates commercially and competes with private sector suppliers for the provision of secure logistics, project and ICT services. It does not receive any direct public funding from the FCO or HMG, relying solely on revenue from its customers. It operates the same policy, processes and restrictions as the FCO in relation to the use of taxis.

Western Sahara

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms exist for alleged human rights abuses in the non-self governing territory of Western Sahara to be (a) investigated and (b) reported to the UN Security Council.

Alistair Burt: The UK regards the political status of the territory of Western Sahara as undetermined. The UK supports the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General's special envoy for Western Sahara, ambassador Christopher Ross, to encourage the parties to reach a mutually-acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
	Following UNSCR 1979, the Moroccan National Human Rights Council opened regional offices in Laayoune and Dakhla in Western Sahara. Its mandate includes the investigation of allegations of human rights abuses.
	Recent UN Security Council Resolutions on Western Sahara have welcomed Morocco's commitment to ensure unqualified and unimpeded access for the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council to Western Sahara. In September 2011 the UN Special Rapporteur for Cultural Rights visited the territory and we hope that Morocco will similarly cooperate with any requests for visits by other Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The UN Secretary-General's annual report to the Security Council on the situation in Western Sahara contains a section on human rights.
	The British Government continue to believe that transparency in the field of human rights is vital to building confidence between the parties. We regularly raise the importance of full respect for human rights with both parties.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme: Wales

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government about the steps he is taking to increase take-up of the Access to Work scheme in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: On 4 July I wrote to all members of the Welsh Assembly Government to update them on our plans to expand and modernise Access to Work so that it can support more disabled people into work.
	As part of our targeted marketing campaign we are focusing on regions where Access to Work has potential to expand, such as in Wales. We have already appointed a new Disabled People's User-Led Organisation ambassador for Wales to increase awareness of the benefits of Access to Work. We are also working with key stakeholders and charities in Wales to expand take up to increase the number of disabled people supported in Wales.
	We will continue to keep colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government informed as we embark on the most radical review of Access to Work in the programme's history.

Assets

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assets his Department has sold and leased back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of each asset so sold; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back each such asset over the period of the lease.

Chris Grayling: The Department has not sold and leased back any assets over the past 12 months.

Asthma

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had with medical practitioners on occupational asthma.

Chris Grayling: With regard to the Industrial Injuries scheme, the Department receives advice from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on the full range of occupationally related prescribed diseases, which include occupational asthma.

Asthma

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on occupational asthma.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The Department for Work and Pensions has not commissioned any research on occupational asthma.
	(b) Evaluation of the evidence base on occupational asthma is regularly carried out by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC). The IIAC is a scientific advisory body whose statutory duty is confined to giving independent advice to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Industrial Injuries scheme. It reported on respiratory health, including asthma in fire fighters in 2010. It recommended occupational asthma due to exposure to latex in health care workers be added to the list of prescribed diseases in 2003. The last full review of prescribed disease D7 (occupational asthma) was carried out in 1990; several sensitising substances were added to the list of prescribed diseases along with a new 'open' category for any other sensitising agent. The evidence is detailed and reviewed in the IIAC'S reports: 'Occupational Health in Fire fighters', 'Conditions due to Biological Agents' Cm 5997 and 'Occupational Asthma' Cm 1244. IIAC regularly monitors emerging research.

Atos Healthcare

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his answer to the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 705W, on Atos Healthcare, in what proportion of occasions a Jobcentre Plus decision-maker did not follow the advice of an Atos-approved healthcare professional when making a decision on eligibility for employment and support allowance in each month since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: The information provided in the answer of 21 March 2012 is consistent with the January 2012 Official Statistics release. Table 2a in this publication provides the total number of initial assessments and their final outcomes by month. By comparing the totals for each month with those figures originally provided in the previous answer, it is possible to calculate the proportion of all outcomes where the Atos recommendation differs from the decision maker's decision.
	The relevant figures can be found in Table 2a in the spreadsheet at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_24012012_tables.xls

Atos Healthcare

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 390-1W, on Atos Healthcare: Scotland, how many Atos assessment centres there are; and in which of these assessment centres mental health champions are based.

Chris Grayling: There are currently 30 locations in Scotland used to conduct medical assessments by Atos. However, many are hired on a casual basis and used only when required. Mental Function Champions are based in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Atos Healthcare

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 390-1W, on Atos Healthcare: Scotland, how many training sessions the mental health champions based in Edinburgh and Glasgow have conducted for staff in Atos assessment centres without champions based with them.

Chris Grayling: All health care professionals working for Atos receive ongoing training through the DWP- agreed continuing medical education programme. The role of the Mental Function Champion is to provide relevant advice and support to health care professionals about the assessment of people with mental health conditions. Mental Function Champions based in Glasgow and Edinburgh regularly attend other main centres and provide advice to health care professionals in other Scottish centres. Records are not held to confirm the actual number of visits or advice calls.

Bakeries

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to health and safety inspectors on conducting workplace inspections in bakeries.

Chris Grayling: Training for HSE inspectors to carry out inspections in a wide range of workplaces including bakeries is an integral part of HSE's early years training programme. This modular programme involves practical experience of field work and classroom-based learning leading to a Post Graduate Diploma in Regulatory Health and Safety.
	Operational guidance material providing further information on the application of the law, and industry standards, is available to HSE inspectors. There is specific and publicly available guidance applicable to bakeries and this is used by inspectors to underpin their regulatory decision making and ensures that inspectors regulate health and safety at work effectively and consistently.

Child Benefit

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children for whom child benefit is paid live abroad for more than three months each year.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The information requested is not available.
	The main purpose of child benefit is to support families in the UK. Consequently, the child benefit rules generally do not provide for it to be paid in respect of children who live abroad other than in limited circumstances (for example, in the case of the children of UK Crown Servants posted overseas) or to meet the UK's obligations under European Community (EC) law. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 September 2011, Official Report, columns 400-01W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mr Jackson).

Child Maintenance

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households are subject to a Child Support Agency Inhibition Order; and how many such households are (a) fully and (b) partially owned by a person other than the non-resident parent from whom maintenance arrears are being sought.

Maria Miller: Bills of Inhibition in Scotland do not attach directly to the non-resident parent's property, but are personal prohibitions preventing heritable property being transferred, alienated or disposed of by the non-resident parent. A Bill of Inhibition is counted as applied for when an instruction for inhibition is sent to the solicitors.
	Information on the number of households which have a Bill of Inhibition and which are fully or partially owned by a person other than the non-resident parent is not available. However, the number of inhibitions issued, and the number which were successful, in the year to February 2012 were 370 and 345 respectively.
	Previously published information is available in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Statistics. This can be found at the following link on page 28:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/qss/QSS-mar_2012.pdf

Child Maintenance

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of maintenance payments owed by non-resident parents as determined by the Child Support Agency is; and what proportion of this amount was paid in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The following table shows the total amount of maintenance and scheduled arrears owed by non-resident parents and the amount actually received in the last five years to March 2012. Recorded information for the total amount of maintenance and scheduled arrears owed the year to March 2008 does not include clerical information as this would involve extracting significant amounts of clerical information.
	
		
			 Year ending March: Total amount of maintenance owed (£ million) Total amount of maintenance received (£ million) Proportion (%) 
			 2008 1,332.5 1,009.9 76 
			 2009 1,377.8 1,131.7 82 
			 2010 1,294.2 1,141.0 88 
			 2011 1,293.2 1,150.2 89 
			 2012 1,325.9 1,186.6 89

Child Maintenance

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultation his Department has had with the Law Society of Scotland on Regulations 18 and 20 of the Child Support Variations Regulations 2000.

Maria Miller: The Government has consulted a number of times in respect of the Child Support Variations Regulations 2000, and the grounds contained in regulation 18 (Assets) and regulation 20 (Lifestyle inconsistent with income).
	Although the proposal of an exceptions regime was first put forward in the 1998 Green Paper “Children First: A new approach to child support”, specific proposals for the types of grounds on which it would be possible for a parent with care to apply to the Child Support Agency to increase the maintenance calculation, were detailed in chapter six of the 1999 White Paper “A new contract for welfare: Children's rights and parents' responsibilities”.
	Further to this, the Government consulted between 1 December 2011 and 23 February 2012, on the proposals for how we would take forward the Variations regime in the new scheme of child maintenance to be introduced later this year. These proposals were contained in the consultation paper, “The Child Support Maintenance Calculation Regulations 2012, a technical consultation on the draft regulations”. In paragraph 89 of this paper, the Government proposed that the ‘Assets’ and ‘Lifestyle inconsistent with income’ grounds for variations should be removed owing to the new link with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the ability to obtain reliable income information.
	For each of these public consultations any representations made within each of the consultation periods were considered before any regulations were finalised.
	Officials from the Commission have also recently corresponded with the Law Society of Scotland and met with a member of its ‘Family Justice Sub-Committee’ specifically on the proposals to remove ‘Assets’ and ‘Lifestyle inconsistent with income’ grounds for variations.

Child Maintenance

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to amend the 12-month rule relating to the use of minutes of agreement in relation to child support.

Maria Miller: We are investigating the impact of the 12-month rule as a result of concerns raised about its effects. With regards to the interaction of the child maintenance system with maintenance arrangements in Scotland, regulated by minutes of agreement, we have received representations recently and we are working with the legal community, the Scottish Government, and the Ministry of Justice to explore this issue further.

Child Maintenance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether (a) working tax credits, (b) child tax credits and (c) the childcare element of working tax credits will be included in the calculation of gross weekly income for purposes of child maintenance calculations under the Child Maintenance Calculations Regulations 2012.

Maria Miller: None of the existing tax credits will be included in the calculation of gross weekly income.

Child Poverty

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in (a) St Helens South and Whiston constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England were (i) living in poverty and (ii) living in a household where no adult worked in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in households with relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation and absolute low income are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	Three-year averages are used to report statistics by region and country as single-year estimates are subject to volatility. The figures for relative and absolute low income for England and for the north-west region covering the last five years can be found in the latest HBAI publication, available at this link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2011/index.php?page=contents
	(ISBN 978-1-78153-046-7).
	Relevant figures can be found in Table 4.17ts (on page 136) for relative low income and Table 4.23ts (on page 142) for absolute low income. Information for St Helens South and Whiston constituency or Merseyside is not available as the sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide robust estimates.
	Estimates for the number of children in workless households by parliamentary constituency are not published by ONS, but the Household Annual Population Survey can be used to produce these figures, shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of children living in workless households (thousand) and proportion of children living in workless households (percentage), Household Annual Population Survey 
			 January to December each year St Helens South and Whiston St Helens South 
			 2010 5,000 (26%) — 
			 2009 — 4,000 (28%) 
			 2008 — 4,000 (28%) 
			 2007 — 3,000 (23%) 
			 2006 — 3,000 (18%) 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Sample sizes at a parliamentary constituency level are small, so results should be treated with caution. Due to boundary changes it is not possible to directly compare figures for pre-2010 and 2010 onwards. 3. Households are those including at least one member aged 16-64. 4. Workless households are those where no-one aged 16 or over is in employment. 5. Children refers to all those aged under 16. 
		
	
	Estimates for the number of children living in a household where no adult works at Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics 2 (NUTS2) level were published by the Office for National Statistics in September 2011, using the Household Annual Population Survey. Figures for Merseyside for each of the last five years can be found at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/workless-households-for-regions-across-the-uk/2010/rft-table-c-children-areas.xls
	Figures for England can also be found in the same publication, although more timely data for regions and countries of the UK are published by the Office for National
	Statistics as part of the Working and Workless Households series, using Household Labour Force Survey data. The most recent estimates can be found at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/working-and-workless-households/4th-quarter-2004-to-2011/table-m.xls

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against Social Fund crisis loan decisions were (a) upheld and (b) rejected in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: Decisions made on crisis loans do not carry a right of appeal as they are part of the discretionary Social Fund. Applicants can however request that the decision is reviewed.
	In the financial year 2011/12, 2,586,000 crisis loan applications were received. Of these the Department for Work and Pensions reviewed 57,000 decisions and revised 18,300. Of the remaining 38,700 applications, only 9,620 requested a second tier review by the Independent Review Service of which a further 2,620 decisions were revised.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for a (a) second, (b) third and (c) fourth or more crisis loan were (i) granted and (ii) declined in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The following table identifies the number of applications, awards, and refusals by application number. The data cover the 12-month period April 2011 to March 2012
	
		
			 Number of applications, awards and refusals for crisis loans by application number (April 2011 to March 2012) 
			 Number of awards per person Number of applicants who received an award Number of refusals Total number of applicants 
			 1 605,200 78,600 683,800 
			 2 243,500 59,300 302,800 
			 3 96,500 44,800 141,300 
			 4+ 12,700 66,800 79,500 
			 Total 957,900 249,500 1,207,400 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is taken from a scan of the Social Fund Computer System at the end of March 2012. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have scan data available. They are not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, these figures do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. Source: March 2012 scan of the Social Fund Computer System, Great Britain

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was to repay a Social Fund crisis loan in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The average time taken to repay a crisis loan varies according to the method of repayment. The largest recovery source is from jobseekers allowance and the average repayment time in 2011-12 was eight weeks.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals making a third application for a Social Fund crisis loan within a 12-month period were required to attend a face-to-face interview at a job centre in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The total number of individuals required to attend a face-to-face interview when applying for third social fund crisis loan within a 12-month period is outlined in the following table.
	This requirement was suspended with effect from 16 January 2012, and abolished from 8 May 2012.
	
		
			 Total number of individuals required to attend a face-to-face interview for a third application for a social fund crisis loan (July 2011-January 2012) 
			  Interviews required 
			 July 2011 34,323 
			 August 2011 30,942 
			 September 2011 38,472 
			 October 2011 27,930 
			 November 2011 24,987 
		
	
	
		
			 December 2011 25,331 
			 January 2011 7,092 
			 Source: Labour Market System

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many defaults there were in repayment of Social Fund crisis loans in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many defaults on Social Fund crisis loans there have been in the last 12 months.

Steve Webb: The number of crisis loan write-offs in the 2011-12 financial year was as follows:
	
		
			  Number of write-offs 
			 April 2011 463 
			 May 2011 1,075 
			 June 2011 2,223 
			 July 2011 4,243 
			 August 2011 2,325 
			 September 2011 907 
		
	
	
		
			 October 2011 2,785 
			 November 2011 2,591 
			 December 2011 860 
			 January 2012 1,738 
			 February 2012 3,147 
			 March 2012 5,269 
			 Total 27,626 
		
	
	Data have been included for the financial year 2011-12, the latest year for which the audited Social Fund Account is available. Information on write-offs was previously based on the number of customers. Within the Social Fund Account for 2011-12 the numbers of write-offs disclosed now relates to individual loans. Customers may have more than one loan.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund crisis loans were paid to recipients in each region in the last 12 months.

Steve Webb: The following table provides figures on the total number of crisis loans paid to recipients in each region. The data cover the last 12 months (July 2011 to June 2012) and relate to Great Britain.
	
		
			 Number of crisis loans awarded by region between July 2011 and June 2012 
			 Government office region Crisis loan awards 
			 East of England 153,700 
			 South-east 214,500 
			 London 198,300 
			 South-west 116,300 
			 East midlands 117,300 
			 West midlands 186,300 
			 Wales 103,900 
			 North-west 333,000 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 187,100 
			 North-east 130,100 
			 Scotland 257,900 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, they do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. If an applicant receives an initial award and this award is increased on first review in the same month as the initial award was made, then the Policy, Budget and Management Information System (PBMIS) does not count the initial award and the review award separately, but counts one award on the one application. However, if a first review award is made in a later month than the initial award, then PBMIS counts two awards on the one application. Similarly, if an initial or first review award is increased by the Independent Review Service, then all awards made in the same month on one application count as one award. However, if an initial award or any review award(s) on one application are made in different months, then PBMIS will count one award for each month in which an initial or review award was made. Because of this counting method, only the numbers of initial awards have been given. 3. Regions are Government office regions. Data by region are available only from April 2004. Awards are recorded in the region where they are administered. Until January 2005, a small area of the east of England region was administered for Social Fund purposes from a district within the London region. Until March 2005, a small area of the east Midlands region was administered for Social Fund purposes from a district within the north-west region. Source: PBMIS

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund crisis loans were made to (a) individuals registered as disabled, (b) individuals over the pension age and (c) lone parent households in the last 12 months.

Steve Webb: Table 1 as follows provides the figures on the total number of social fund crisis loan initial awards for the disabled, pensioner and lone parent client groups, along with total crisis loan awards for all groups. The data cover the last 12 months (July 2011 to June 2012) and relate to Great Britain.
	
		
			 Table 1: Total number of crisis loan initial awards for the disabled, pensioner and lone parent client groups, July 2011 to June 2012 
			 Number 
			  Client group  
			  Disabled Pensioners Lone parents Total awards 
			 2011     
			 July 27,300 700 15,500 164,800 
			 August 27,700 700 17,900 194,100 
			 September 27,700 700 18,000 186,200 
			 October 25,000 700 17,100 176,600 
			 November 25,000 600 18,700 178,300 
			 December 22,500 500 18,800 180,500 
		
	
	
		
			 2012     
			 January 29,800 900 14,900 159,300 
			 February 28,600 600 14,500 156,500 
			 March 27,800 800 12,700 137,200 
			 April 24,300 500 13,600 143,200 
			 May 27,100 600 15,200 159,000 
			 June 25,400 500 15,100 148,800 
			 Total (12 months) 318,100 7,800 192,600 1,977,200 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is management information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have management information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, these amounts do not include expenditure on applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the social fund computer system. 2. All of the figures relate to awards, not people. Individuals can apply for and receive more than one social fund loan in any given year. 3. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. 4. Pensioners includes awards where the: applicant or partner aged 60 or over, and in receipt of pension credit; or applicant or partner aged 60 or over, and in receipt of state retirement pension. 5. The pensioners client group also includes awards where applicant is under 60 and partner is: 60 or over with income support (IS) pensioner premium; 80 or over with IS higher pensioner premium; or 60 to 79, disabled with IS higher pensioner premium. 6. The disabled client group includes awards where the applicant is: in receipt of employment and support allowance; the applicant or partner aged under 60 with IS disability premium; lone parent with IS disability premium; family with IS disability premium; others with IS disability premium; or in receipt of other benefit for incapacity or disablement. 7. The lone parents client group includes awards where the applicant has no partner and is receiving income support because they are responsible for a child. Source: Budget and Management Information System (PBMIS, Initial Awards for Great Britain).

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken to repay a Social Fund crisis loan was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The average value of a crisis loan in 2011-12 was £64. The average time taken to repay a crisis loan varies according to the method of repayment. The largest recovery source is from jobseekers allowance and the average repayment time in 2011-12 was eight weeks.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for Social Fund crisis loans were received (a) by telephone, (b) in writing and (c) in person in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: 2,586,000 crisis loan applications were received in 2011-12. Data are not available to distinguish the method by which those applications were made.
	Source
	SoS Annual Report on the Social Fund 2011-12

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent pursuing the recovery of Social Fund crisis loans on which individuals had defaulted in the last five years.

Steve Webb: Up to the point any loan becomes a write-off the Department would pursue the debt according to standard debt management procedures. The cost of administering these loans, up to the point of write-off, is not separately recorded and is, therefore, not available.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for a social fund crisis loan were made by people (a) under 18, (b) between 18 and 29, (c) between 30 and 49, (d) between 50 and 65 and (e) over 65 years old in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: Table 1 as follows provides figures for applications made for a social fund crisis loan, by people (a) under 18, (b) between 18 and 29, (c) between 30 and 49, (d) between 50 and 65 and (e) over 65 years old in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Crisis loan applications by age band between April 2010 and March 2011 
			  Number 
			 Under 18 77,800 
			 18-29 1,761,300 
			 30-49 1,208,800 
			 50-65 232,300 
			 65 and over 11,400 
			 Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. 2. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, it does not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. Source: Social Fund scans.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for a social fund crisis loan were made by (a) women and (b) men in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The following table sets out the number of crisis loan applications made by men and women between April 2010 and March 2011.
	
		
			 Table One: Number of men and women who applied for a crisis loan between April 2010 and March 2011 
			  Crisis loan applications 
			 Men 2,060,000 
			 Women 1,232,000 
			 Not recorded 3,000 
			 Total 3,295,000 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is management information. 2. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using official/national statistics but in this case we only have management information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as official/national statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, it does not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 3. Figures are for applications received, not for the number of people who made an application. Source: Social Fund Scan

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average social fund crisis loan was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: In the reporting year 2011-12, the average award for a Crisis Loan was £64.
	Source:
	Annual Report by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund 2011-12.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the social fund crisis loan scheme cost to operate in each of the last three years.

Steve Webb: The direct staff costs for operating the Social Fund crisis loan scheme in 2011-12 was £62.1 million. Comparable analysis is not available for previous years as a revised costing methodology has been implemented during 2011-12.

Employment and Support Allowance

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of individuals in receipt of income-related employment and support allowance which includes a work-related activity or support component with parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who ordinarily resides with that individual or is in receipt of a qualifying component;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of individuals in receipt of income-based jobseeker's allowance and with parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who ordinarily resides with that individual or is in receipt of a qualifying component.

Chris Grayling: The information as requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment and Support Allowance

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department has received about employment and support allowance in each month of the last two years.

Chris Grayling: The monthly number of level 1 and 2 complaints received by the Department relating to employment and support allowance in the last two years is detailed as follows. Please note these are national figures only.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010-11  
			 April 598 
			 May 464 
			 June 545 
			 July 575 
			 August 503 
			 September 456 
			 October 452 
			 November 350 
			 December 165 
			 January 230 
			 February 238 
			 March 246 
			 Total for 2010-11 4,822 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12  
			 April 172 
			 May 242 
			 June 275 
			 July 277 
			 August 283 
			 September 250 
			 October 264 
			 November 310 
			 December 275 
			 January 325 
			 February 455 
			 March 479 
			 Total for 2011-12 3,607 
			 Note: Due to differing methods of recording customer complaints, Scotland (Work Services Directorate) is not included in these figures from July 2010. Benefit Centre Directorate sites are not included after November 2010. 
		
	
	The data in the table include the following categories:
	Level 1—feedback received at first point of contact
	Level 2—feedback received direct by the district manager, delegated customer contact from Ministers and other Government Departments, or feedback not resolved at level 1.
	Data are collected with level 1 and 2 combined.

Employment and Support Allowance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the job outcomes for (a) all people and (b) people with mental health problems declared Fit for Work by the employment and support allowance application process.

Chris Grayling: It is difficult to determine subsequent destinations of employment support allowance (ESA) claimants from administrative data. Claimants leaving ESA are not required to inform the Department of their destinations and hence the information that is collected on destinations, or reasons for leaving, is incomplete and not robust enough for publication.
	However, the Department published research on a sample of ESA customers who reported that they had left ESA (whether because they were found fit for work, had their claim closed by Jobcentre Plus, or withdrew their claim before receiving a decision) and asked about the main thing they did, immediately after their claim ended. The report can be found at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep745.pdf
	Section 4 shows that of all those who left ESA having been found fit for work 28% said they had moved into work (48% claimed another benefit and another 25% had other destinations; totals may not add due to rounding).
	For a subset of ESA leavers, the research did look into whether they were claiming JSA or not at the second wave of the journey by the main health condition. The majority of ESA leavers with mental health conditions (88 out of 100 ESA leavers that were included in the subset) did not claim JSA (see section 4.5 of the research report mentioned above). This research, however, does not cover other destinations.

Employment and Support Allowance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of mental function champions on the assessment process for the work capability assessment; and what plans he has for future evaluation of their effect.

Chris Grayling: There has been no formal evaluation of the introduction of mental function champions but routine monitoring of quality and customer satisfaction takes place as part of the contractual arrangements between DWP and Atos Healthcare. In addition, Professor Harrington's second review noted that the role is being well-utilised and that health care professionals have welcomed the advice and support. DWP is continuing to work with Atos Healthcare to build on the mental function champion role and is looking at how their knowledge and expertise can be shared with decision makers to further improve the quality of decisions on cases involving mental, intellectual and cognitive conditions.

Employment Schemes

Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress has been made with the mandatory work activity and voluntary work experience schemes in (a) England, (b) the South East region and (c) Reading East constituency.

Chris Grayling: The latest Mandatory Work Activity official statistics were released on 12 June 2012 by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
	The latest official statistics in relation to the work experience strand of the Get Britain Working measures were released on 16 May 2012. The information can be viewed by following the link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/pwp/index.php?page=pwp

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means his Department arrived at its forecast of the indicative claimant volumes for the 18 to 24 jobseeker's allowance group on the Work programme.

Chris Grayling: The Office for Budget Responsibility produces an independent aggregate claimant count projection that is the basis of the Department's forecasting of jobseeker's allowance. The Department produces inflow and off-flow projections consistent with this overall projection, including splits into over and under 25 age groups, using assumptions based on trends in historical data.
	Indicative claimant volumes attaching to the Work programme from the jobseeker's allowance (JSA) 18 to 24 group are profiled by applying an assumption about the rate of attachment of eligible claimants to the Department's forecast volumes of JSA 18 to 24-year-olds that reach the nine-month threshold stage of their claims.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value is of each Work Choice contract in each area.

Maria Miller: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			 Contract package area Maximum contract value(1) (£) 
			 CPA1—Highland Islands Clyde Coast and Grampian 9,567,139 
			 CPA2—Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 8,876,148 
			 CPA3—Glasgow, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 8,494,050 
			 CPA4—Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde, Edinburgh Lothians and Borders 9,850,992 
			 CPA5—North and Mid Wales, South East Wales 12,628,057 
			 CPA6—South Wales Valleys, South West Wales 20,756,232 
			 CPA7—South Tyne and Wear Valley, Northumbria 11,770,272 
			 CPA8—Tees Valley, North East Yorkshire and the Humber 12,680,754 
			 CPA9—Cumbria, Lancashire 9,940,800 
			 CPA10—Greater Manchester Central and Greater Manchester East and West 17,227,224 
			 CPA11—Cheshire and Warrington, Merseyside 14,012,664 
			 CPA12—West Yorkshire 15,715,889 
			 CPA13—Derbyshire, South Yorkshire 17,139,888 
			 CPA14—Lincolnshire and Rutland, Nottinghamshire 12,829,470 
			 CPA15—Leicestershire and Northamptonshire 8,555,705 
			 CPA16—Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches, Staffordshire 16,694,238 
			 CPA17—Birmingham and Solihull, Black Country 13,785,094 
			 CPA18—Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, Norfolk 13,816,728 
			 CPA19—Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 18,153,336 
			 CPA20—City and East London, North and North East London 9,448,271 
			 CPA21—West London, Central London, North and North East London 20,580,053 
			 CPA22—Lambeth Southwark and Wandsworth, South London 13,009,000 
			 CPA23—Thames Valley 10,183,362 
			 CPA24—Hampshire and isle of Wight 10,120,938 
			 CPA25—Kent, Surrey and Sussex 20,474,462 
			 CPA26—West of England, Gloucestershire Wiltshire and Swindon 10,153,621 
			 CPA27—Dorset and Somerset 10,330,818 
			 CPA28—Devon and Cornwall 12,978,200 
			 Total 369,773,405 
			 (1) 25 October 2010 to 24 October 2015. Note: These values are indicative total values agreed at the time of the contract award in October 2010. Values represent the maximum amount that providers would receive over the five-year contract period if they achieve 100% of their job outcomes targets. Source: DWP Commercial Directorate Contracts Database.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 24 April 2012, Official Report, column 789W, on employment schemes, when he plans to conduct the next one-off exercise to determine the proportion of Work programme attachments which are referred to tier one and tier two voluntary sector organisations.

Chris Grayling: The Department plans to repeat this exercise in the autumn.
	The second release of Work programme Official Statistics on referrals and attachments were released on 9 May 2012 and can be viewed at the following website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp

Employment Schemes

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of each Fit For Work pilot to date.

Chris Grayling: Report RR 792 ‘Evaluation of the Fit For Work Service pilots: first year report’ was published on the Department's website on 1 March 2012. It is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp

Ex-gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department over the last two years.

Chris Grayling: The value of ex-gratia(1) payments made by the Department in the last two years is contained within the summary of losses and special payments in note 36 of the annual report and accounts 2011-12, page 172, which provides details of payments to staff and members of the public. The report can be found at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-2012.pdf
	The specific amounts within the disclosure note relating to ex-gratia payments are set out as follows.
	
		
			  Ex-gratia payments (£000) 
			 2011-12 14,778 
			 2010-11 23,013 
		
	
	(1) Ex-gratia payments are payments that go beyond statutory cover, legal liability or administrative rules, including:
	Payments made to meet hardship caused by official failure or delay;
	Out of court settlements;
	Payments to contractors outside a binding contract, e.g. on grounds of hardship.

Housing Benefit

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether his proposals for secondary legislation relating to universal credit will apply to people who reside in supported housing arrangements; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent progress he has made on reform of housing benefit for people who reside in supported housing arrangements;
	(3)  when the Government plans to respond to the consultation on Housing Benefit Reform—Supported Housing, which closed in 2011.

Steve Webb: We are still considering options for housing benefit reform for those who live in supported 'exempt' accommodation as defined in the consultation document. We are looking at the feasibility of each of the options set out in that document and will make an announcement in due course.

Housing Benefit: Young People

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total annual expenditure was on housing benefit for persons under the age of 25 in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in each of the last four financial years; and how much of that in each case was in respect of (A) socially and (B) privately rented properties.

Steve Webb: A breakdown by parliamentary constituency is not available. The information for local authorities has been placed in the library.

Industrial Health and Safety

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value is of outstanding fines imposed by the Health and Safety Executive on businesses which have remained unpaid for more than (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	HM Courts and Tribunals Service systems do not identify the outstanding balance of fines imposed by specific prosecutors or for specific offences and therefore this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual search of all fine accounts.

Jobcentre Plus

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues to Jobcentre Plus offices on their (a) stock, (b) display and (c) use of public information leaflets.

Chris Grayling: DWP has maintained comprehensive guidelines on stock, display and use of public information leaflets in Jobcentre Plus (JCP) offices since 2006. Compliance with the guidance is the responsibility of JCP managers on site, supported by the District External Relations team, and is ratified as part of JCP management checks.
	The aims of the guidance are to:
	support staff ensuring the standards are put into practice;
	ensure customer information is accurate;
	ensure our customers and staff find our jobcentres clean, modern, informative, professional and helpful; and
	support consistency of approach in promoting the brand and corporate identity.
	The guidance is available to JCP staff via DWP online intranet systems in offices and covers:
	1. A list of DWP customer information leaflets, posters and contact materials that JCP offices are required to have in stock and displayed at all times. This list is kept under review to ensure that we maintain a small, focused suite of products that give customers the right information at the right time.
	2. A list of other DWP leaflets that JCP offices are required to have in stock, but not displayed. This includes some titles for The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service. On occasions JCP may agree to stock other leaflets centrally.
	3. Recommended stock levels. JCP offices should hold a maximum of six weeks’ stock to ensure information is always up to date and minimise wastage costs.
	JCP staff are also able to order specific leaflets for customers directly from DWP fulfilment suppliers.

Nuclear Power Stations

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date an inspection was (i) planned and (ii) carried out at each of the UK's nuclear power stations.

Chris Grayling: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) carries out site inspections in line with its planned inspection programme. The number of planned and conducted inspections are available only for the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12 and for the first quarter of 2012-13, and are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Site Financial year Inspections 
			   Planned Conducted(1) 
			 Berkeley(2) 2010-11 25 33 
			  2011-12 18 22 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 6 6 
			     
			 Bradwell(2) 2010-11 22 33 
			  2011-12 20 35 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 6 0 
			     
			 Chapelcross(3) 2010-11 32 49 
			  2011-12 23 27 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 6 0 
			     
			 Dungeness A(3) 2010-11 35 19 
			  2011-12 16 9 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 1 1 
			     
			 Dungeness B(4) 2010-11 71 72 
			  2011-12 79 80 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 15 11 
			     
			 Hartlepool(4) 2010-11 66 65 
			  2011-12 67 80 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 17 18 
			     
			 Heysham 1(4) 2010-11 65 66 
			  2011-12 97 78 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 16 12 
			     
			 Heysham 2(4) 2110-11 101 141 
			  2011-12 91 128 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 14 20 
			     
			 Hinkley A(2) 2010-11 31 36 
			  2011-12 21 30 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 3 4 
			     
			 Hinkley B(4) 2010-11 68 86 
			  2011-12 73 92 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 18 26 
			     
			 Hunterston A(2) 2010-11 22 24 
		
	
	
		
			  2011-12 21 23 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 4 3 
			     
			 Hunterston B(4) 2010-11 66 71 
			  2011-12 70 77 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 15 22 
			     
			 Oldbury(3) 2010-11 73 129 
			  2011-12 64 71 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 0 0 
			     
			 Sizewell A(3) 2010-11 30 17 
			  2011-12 17 11 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 1 0 
			     
			 Sizewell B(4) 2010-11 76 88 
			  2011-12 72 121 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 22 29 
			     
			 Torness(4) 2010-11 57 82 
			  2011-12 66 98 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 18 17 
			     
			 Trawsfyndd(2) 2010-11 21 27 
			  2011-12 20 11 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 4 0 
			     
			 Wylfa(4) 2010-11 73 100 
			  2011-12 54 89 
			  2012-13—quarter 1 11 14 
			 (1 )Includes reactive inspections. (2) Decommissioning site. (3) Defueling site. (4) Operating site.

Nuclear Power Stations

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department has received in relation to safety at each of the UK's nuclear power stations in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: The Office for Nuclear Regulation handles complaints about safety at the UK's nuclear power stations. The number of complaints received by ONR from external sources about safety at each of the UK's nuclear power stations in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of complaints 
			 2010 0 
			 2011 0 
			 2012 (1)1 
			 (1) Relating to two sites.

Pension Credit

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in receipt of state pension credit.

Steve Webb: Statistics on pension credit are available from 100% data and are published on the Department's website at:
	http://83.244.183.180/100pc/pc/tabtool_pc.html
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Pensioners

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the pensioner prices index was in each year since 1997.

Steve Webb: The pensioner prices index for each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Index (January 1987 = 100) Change (percentage) 
			 1997 145.4 1.0 
			 1998 147.4 1.4 
			 1999 149.6 1.5 
			 2000 150.8 0.8 
			 2001 152.7 1.3 
			 2002 155.3 1.7 
			 2003 158.1 1.8 
			 2004 160.9 1.8 
			 2005 165.1 2.6 
			 2006 172.5 4.5 
			 2007 178.2 3.3 
			 2008 189.8 6.5 
			 2009 196.8 3.7 
			 2010 204.6 4.0 
			 2011 218.1 6.6 
			 Source: Office for National Statistics, RPI One-person pensioner households index—All Items.

Pensioners

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners had a net annual income of (a) up to £5,200, (b) £5,200 to £10,400, (c) £10,400 to £20,800, (d) £20,800 to £40,000, (e) £40,000 to £80,000 and (f) over £80,000 in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK in the latest year for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: Estimates on pensioner incomes are published annually in the Pensioners' Incomes Series available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=pensioners_income_arc#PI_Latest
	The latest year of data which are available are for 2010-11. For the table, three years of data (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11) have been combined, as single-year estimates for Scotland are subject to volatility.
	Table 1 shows the proportion of pensioners in each income band for Scotland and the UK, both before and after housing costs.
	
		
			 Table 1: Proportion (percentage) of pensioners in each income band in Scotland and the UK, before and after housing costs 
			  Before housing costs After housing costs 
			 Income band Scotland United Kingdom Scotland United Kingdom 
			 (a) up to £5,200 2 3 4 6 
			 (b) £5,200 to £10,400 22 20 29 27 
			 (c) £10,400 to £20,800 51 48 44 41 
		
	
	
		
			 (d) £20,800 to £40,000 21 22 19 20 
			 (e) £40,000 to £80,000 3 5 3 4 
			 (f) over £80,000 2 2 2 2 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Pensioners' Incomes (PI) Series data sourced from the 2010-11 Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2. The Pensioners' Incomes Series analysis is for pensioner units, which are defined as either single pensioners (people over state pension age) or pensioner couples (married or cohabiting pensioners where one or more are over state pension age). 3. Prior to 6 April 2010, women reached the state pension age at 60. From 6 April 2010, the qualifying age for women has been gradually increasing. The changes do not affect the state pension age for men, currently 65. 4. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 5. Figures have been presented on a before housing costs and an after housing costs basis. For before housing costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for after housing costs they are. 6. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 7. The reference period for PI figures is the financial year. 8. Proportions of pensioners have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 9. Figures may not sum due to rounding. 10. Three survey years (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11) have been combined because single year estimates are not considered to be sufficiently reliable. Single year estimates are possible for the United Kingdom; however three-year averages have been supplied so the estimates for Scotland and the United Kingdom are comparable. 11. The preferred income measure for pensioners is after housing costs. Around three quarters of pensioners own their own homes and so have to pay out minimal housing costs from their disposable income compared to the current working age population who typically have to cover mortgage or rental housing costs. Considering pensioners’ incomes compared to others after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and between pensioners overtime.

Personal Independence Payment

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  on what basis the assumption was made in the case studies provided by his Department in the personal independence payment consultation that blind people would face lower mobility and daily living costs after they have lived with sight loss for longer;
	(2)  for what reason support dogs were included in the mobility component of the personal independence payment criteria but orientation aids were not.

Maria Miller: The Government believes that support in personal independence payment should be targeted at those people who are most affected by their impairments. The proposed assessment criteria for personal independence payment have not yet been finalised but will focus on an individual’s ability to carry out key everyday activities, considering the support they need from aids and appliances and other people to do so. The greatest priority in the assessment will go to those people who are least able to carry out the activities and need the most support. We believe that such an approach allows us to reflect and differentiate between the barriers and extra costs faced by disabled people.
	No assumption has been made that blind people will automatically face reduced costs or barriers after they have lived with sight loss for a period of time. However, we are aware that many individuals, with a range of different impairments, do adapt to their situations and develop coping strategies that enable them to manage daily activities either unaided or with less support, reducing the barriers and costs they face. The approach taken under personal independence payment will be to assess the needs of the individual not their condition.
	Support dogs were specifically included in the second draft of the assessment criteria as we recognise that individuals who have support dogs face particular barriers and costs.
	The work to develop the assessment criteria is still ongoing. On 30 April, we completed a 15-week formal consultation. We received around 1,000 responses to this, including a joint response from the visual impairment sector. We are considering all of these comments very carefully as we evaluate what further improvements need to be made to the assessment. If we need to make more changes to ensure it fairly reflects the needs of individuals, we will do so.
	We intend to publish a response to the consultation alongside a revised draft of the assessment criteria later in the year, once our considerations are complete.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long he expects the reassessment to take of personal independence payment benefit entitlement for those receiving disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: All DLA recipients will have been invited to claim PIP by March 2016. We have recently concluded our consultation on the detailed design of PIP, including our plans for reassessing existing DLA recipients, and we will be publishing our response later this year.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria his Department used to select organisations bidding for health and disability assessment services contracts.

Maria Miller: The information requested by the hon. Member is available on the Contracts Finder website at the following links under “documents” then “Instruction to Bidders”:
	http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=530395&fs=true

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of reassessing the personal independence payment benefit entitlement for all those receiving disability living allowance;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse that will result from the reassessment of personal independence payment benefit entitlement for all those receiving disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The Department's estimates of the costs and benefits of PIP are available in the impact assessment published in May 2012, accessible at the following link:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dla-reform-wr2011-ia.pdf

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to ensure people undergoing reassessment of personal independence payment benefit entitlement are able to appeal against the findings of reassessments carried out by private organisations on behalf of the Government.

Maria Miller: Decisions on entitlement to personal independence payment will be made by decision makers within the Department for Work and Pensions. Their decisions will be based on information from a range of sources, including evidence from the claimant, the health care professionals who work with them and advice from the assessment provider. If a claimant wishes to dispute a decision on benefit entitlement, they will be able to ask for a reconsideration of the original decision. Reconsideration will be a mandatory process. If, following a reconsideration of the original decision, the claimant still thinks the decision is incorrect they will be able to appeal to an independent tribunal.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from (a) organisations and (b) individuals on the reassessment of personal independence payment benefit entitlement for all those receiving disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The Department has received a wide range of representations from individuals and organisations, both in meetings and in writing. We have conducted a range of consultations on the detail of personal independence payment, the last two of which closed on 30 April and 30 June respectively. We intend to respond to those consultations later this year.
	In addition to formal consultation my officials and I regularly meet with stakeholders, including those organisations who are providing invaluable contributions as members of the Personal Independence Payment Implementation Development Group. Members of the group have written to the Department about reassessment proposals, as have more senior members of their organisations. Their comments will be considered alongside others raised as part of the wider public consultation.
	The introduction of personal independence payment (PIP) is also being supported by a comprehensive programme of user-centred design involving disabled people (including current disability living allowance claimants) and representative organisations.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the value of current contracts for health and disability assessment services (a) in Scotland, North East England, North West England and the Isle of Man, (b) in Wales and Central England, (c) in London and South England, (d) in Northern Ireland and (e) nationally.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions re-awarded Atos Origin IT Services Ltd, trading as Atos Healthcare, a new contract to provide Medical Services on behalf of the Department from 1 September 2005. The total cost of these services amounts to approximately £100 million per annum. This figure not only covers the total number of assessments undertaken across all benefits, but also costs relating to written and verbal medical advice, fixed overheads, administrative costs, investment in new technology and other service improvements.
	The above contract covers England, Scotland, Wales but not Northern Ireland which has its own separate contract.
	The DWP pays nothing to Atos Healthcare for the provision of Medical Services in Northern Ireland.
	The overall total cost for the seven-year term of the Medical Services Contract between the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency (NISSA) and Atos Healthcare is £82 million.

Personal Independence Payment

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information will be used from existing disability living allowance files when contacting claimants to invite them to apply for personal independence payments.

Maria Miller: Disability living allowance claimants, who are in the age range 16 to 64 when personal independence payment is introduced (8 April 2013), will be contacted between October 2013 and March 2016 about reassessment. The contact letter will explain next steps and what the claimant needs to do if they wish to make a claim to personal independence payment. In order to ensure that the correct people are contacted, we will take the age, name, address and national insurance number of the claimant and any alternative format requirements from the DLA computer system.
	If the DLA computer system holds details of an appointee, then this will be the person who will be contacted.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 635W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: This information is not held centrally by the Department and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will provide a ready reckoner to show how much the benefits award of households will be affected by the cap before implementation of the total household benefit cap policy.

Chris Grayling: An online calculator is available to use at:
	www.direct.gov.uk/benefitcap
	This will enable households to get an estimate of how much lower their housing benefit could be if the amount of benefit they get is more than the cap limits.

Social Security Benefits

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the amount of benefits recovered via the Compensation Recovery Unit in the last financial year for which figures are available; and what assessment it has made of the potential effect on the future amount of such benefits recovered of the proposal to increase the small claims limit for personal injury to £5,000.

Chris Grayling: The DWP compensation recovery unit (CRU) recovered the sum of £138,699,764.14 in benefits in the financial year 2011-12.
	The work undertaken with DWP and analytical division has not identified any significant change of compensation recovery in relation to the number of compensation claims we are forecasting to receive in the compensation recovery unit.

Social Security Benefits: Armed Forces

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many (a) spouses and (b) and civil partners of serving members of each branch of HM armed forces applied for (i) jobseeker's allowance, (ii) employment and support allowance subsequent to returning to the UK after accompanying their spouse or partner on an overseas posting in each of the last two years; and how many had their application refused due to insufficient accrual of national insurance contributions;
	(2)  how many (a) spouses and (b) civil partners of serving members of each branch of HM armed forces are in receipt of (i) jobseeker's allowance, (ii) employment and support allowance, (iii) incapacity benefit and (iv) income support;
	(3)  how many applications were made by serving armed forces personnel or their spouses or civil partners for a discretionary exception to the rules regarding the accrual of national insurance contributions as they relate to the awarding of jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such applications were granted.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
	In April 2010, the Department introduced an award of Class 1 national insurance credits for service spouses and civil partners to cover periods in which they were accompanying a member of the armed forces posted overseas. The credits, which have been in effect since April 2010, will help protect the eligibility of service spouses and civil partners to a basic state pension and contribution-based working-age benefits from 1 January 2012.

Social Security Benefits: Armed Forces

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many spouses or civil partners of service personnel in each branch of the armed forces whose partner is serving in Afghanistan applied for a crisis or other loan from the Social Fund in each of the last two years.

Steve Webb: The Department does not collect data on the number of Social Fund applicants, where the partner is a serving member of the armed forces.

Social Security Benefits: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) Bexley local authority who have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010 are only available for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimants, which are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of JSA claimants in (a) the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) Bexley local authority who have had a sanction applied for refusing employment: 1 May 2010 to 31 January 2012 
			 Area Number of JSA claimants 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency 210 
			 Bexley local authority 490 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Refusal of employment is a varied length sanction. 3. Varied Length Sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the Adjudication Officer who makes the decision. 4. Geographies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. Boundaries are as at the reference date. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	Statistics on how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) Bexley local authority have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010 for non JSA claimants are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency had their benefit suspended for failure to attend (a) a job interview and (b) Jobcentre Plus appointments in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend a job interview in each of the last five years are not available.
	Statistics on how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend Jobcentre Plus appointments in each of the last five years are only available for jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants, which are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of JSA claimants in Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency who have had a sanction applied for failing to attend a Jobcentre Plus appointment in the years 2007 to 2011 
			  Number of JSA claimants 
			 2007 370 
			 2008 420 
			 2009 750 
			 2010 860 
			 2011 560 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Claimants may appear in the table more than once if they have had a sanction applied in more than one year 3. Failing to attend a Jobcentre Plus appointment is classified as one of the following; Failure to attend place on training scheme/emp prog, Failure to attend Advisory Interview (post April 2010), Failure to attend Back to Work Session and Failure to attend Advisory interview/FTP signed declaration. 4. Sanctions for Failure to Attend Back to Work Sessions have been applied since April 2009. Prior to April 2010, a Failure to Attend Advisory Interview attracted an entitlement decision. Since then, it has attracted a fixed length sanction of between one and two weeks. 5. Entitlement Decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to JSA depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the jobseeker's agreement (JSAg) is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of JSA will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. 6. Fixed Length Sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a jobseeker's direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the Adjudication Officer's decision on a sanction question. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	Statistics on how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend Jobcentre Plus appointments in each of the last five years for non JSA claimants are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Payments

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with (a) banks and (b) other financial institutions on the move to monthly payments of benefit into an account.

Chris Grayling: We have had discussions with a wide range of banks and representative trade bodies including the British Bankers Association. We have also had discussions with other financial service providers, including credit unions and suppliers of prepaid cards and mobile banking applications. Our discussions have focused on making sure there is an adequate range of provision for claimants to have a choice as to the type of account they will need to transition successfully to monthly payments, taking into account pre-existing capability, and any budgeting support needs.

Social Security Benefits: Payments

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of benefit claimants currently without bank accounts.

Chris Grayling: Latest available information suggests that approximately 4.7 million people of working age have their DWP benefits paid directly into a transactional bank account, 740,000 are paid into a Post Office card account, and 102,000 currently receive all their payments by cheque. This may be because they do not have an account, or because they are unwilling to have their money paid into an account. No estimate has been made of the number of benefit claimants currently without bank accounts.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010 are only available for jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) claimants, which are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of JSA claimants in (a) Scotland Jobcentre Plus Group (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency who have had a sanction applied for refusing employment: 1 May 2010-31 January 2012 
			 Area Number of JSA claimants 
			 Scotland 7,760 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 130 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Refusal of employment is a varied length sanction 3. Varied Length Sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the Adjudication Officer who makes the decision. 4. Jobcentre Plus Group: Formerly known as Jobcentre Plus Regions. Jobcentre Plus Groups were updated to reflect changes to the hierarchical structure of Jobcentre Plus implemented on 5 April 2011 from 11 regions to seven groups. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. 
		
	
	Statistics on how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun have had their benefit withdrawn for refusing to work since May 2010 for non- JSA claimants are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department were in the Civil Service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date.

Chris Grayling: The civil service does not have a redeployment pool, but does offer a career transition service aimed at surplus staff to Departments. DWP SCS surplus employees had access to this service which provided support and assistance with their redeployment activities to December 2011.
	DWP has run its own redeployment and support unit (RSU) since April 2011 for DWP surplus employees of all grades from AA to G6. On the 30 June 2012 the number of surplus employees in the RSU was 113 people with 82 (73%) that have been surplus for more than six months.

State Retirement Pensions

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's Green Paper, A State Pension for the 21st Century, when he expects to publish a White Paper on the same subject.

Steve Webb: At Budget 2012, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), confirmed that we will reform the state pension system to introduce a simpler, single tier state pension for future pensioners to better support saving for retirement. The Budget also confirmed that the Government will introduce a mechanism so that future changes in state pension age take changes in longevity into account.
	As I have confirmed in a written statement to the House on 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 64-65WS, given the scale, complexity and importance of these two significant reforms we are still working on the details to ensure we get them right. Therefore, we will set out further detail on both the single tier reform and state pension age review mechanism in a white paper in the autumn.

Universal Credit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, columns 281-2W, on universal credit, when he last met (a) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and (b) Scottish Ministers to discuss (i) welfare reform and (ii) the introduction of universal credit.

Chris Grayling: The information available, pursuant to my answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 281W, is as follows:
	On 14 March 2012, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), met Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the Scottish Government's Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy. On 25 April 2012, the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Thornbury and Yate (Steve Webb), also met Nicola Sturgeon MSP.
	On 11 July 2012, my noble Friend Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform, met Nicola Sturgeon MSP as well as Kenny MacAskill MSP, the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice There is also regular communication and dialogue about universal credit and the Government’s wider welfare reforms between the Department's officials and both their counterparts in the Scottish Government and officers in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities COSLA. This includes monthly meetings between officers of all three organisations. The most recent of these was on 27 June 2012.
	The Department's universal credit programme director met with the then President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in November 2011.

Universal Credit

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the suitability of basic bank accounts for the budgeting needs of recipients of universal credit;
	(2)  what financial products have been considered to assist recipients of universal credit to adjust to monthly payments and budgeting;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the likely level of availability of basic bank accounts for recipients of universal credit.

Chris Grayling: We are working with a range of banking and financial product providers to make financial services accessible and supportive to potential universal credit recipients across the income spectrum; particularly to low-income households who may have been excluded in the past.
	Basic bank account are very widely available and will support the budgeting needs of many universal credit claimants, as they can receive money from multiple sources, including wages as well as benefits, and have the necessary transactional capabilities necessary for paying rent and household bills by direct debit or standing order.
	We recognise that some claimants will need additional help to adapt successfully to monthly payments. This may take the form of budgeting advice and skills development, but may also include enhanced financial products with additional budgeting functions, such as ‘jam jar’ accounts.

Universal Credit

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to monitor the payment of universal credit for joint claimants in male/female couples into (a) joint accounts, (b) accounts belonging to the woman and (c) accounts belonging to the man.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit will be paid as a single monthly payment and it will be for the couple to decide whose account universal credit is paid into or whether it should be paid into a joint account. It is for them to decide how to manage their finances in a way that best meets their needs. However if a joint claim couple can not agree an account into which their universal credit should be paid the Secretary of State may nominate one. The Department will not be monitoring the payment of universal credit into individual or joint accounts.

Work Capability Assessment: Recordings

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, column 930W, on work capability assessment: recordings, what the terms of reference are for the assessment of the effectiveness of and demand for recordings of work capability assessments; and how he plans to assess the success or failure of the arrangements.

Chris Grayling: We are currently monitoring uptake of the service and have asked Atos Healthcare to try and accommodate requests for audio recording where a claimant makes a request in advance of their assessment, this is being monitored on a weekly basis. We are also developing criteria as previously indicated so that we may evaluate the success of this approach, which will take into account factors such as value for money and the value it adds to the work capability assessment process.

Working Conditions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 531W, on working conditions, what the results were of each of the investigations conducted by the Health and Safety Executive into excessive heat in the workplace.

Chris Grayling: Information on the results of each of the investigations conducted by the Health and Safety Executive into excessive heat in the workplace can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Working Conditions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 531W, on working conditions, for what reasons the number of Health and Safety investigations into excessive heat in the workplace decreased between 2007-08 and 2010-11.

Chris Grayling: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is committed to investigating incidents involving serious injury and ill health or where there are serious breaches of the law. HSE select incidents for investigation using its published Incident Selection Criteria, and the number of incidents investigated involving excessive heat will vary from year-to-year.

TRANSPORT

Biofuels

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the (a) growth and (b) employment potential of the production of sustainable biofuels in the UK.

Norman Baker: “Advanced Biofuels: The Potential for a UK Industry, NNFCC 11-011” was published in November 2011. The study, commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Transport (DFT), estimated that strong development of advanced biofuels could create up to 6,000 full-time construction jobs and over 2,000 permanent jobs supplying and operating the plants by 2020.
	The potential for future growth in the supply of sustainable biofuels and its effect on UK employment directly and indirectly will continue to be considered in future decisions on what additional measures will be required to ensure that the UK delivers the requirements of the renewable energy and fuel quality directives in the period 2014 to 2020.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which registered charities her Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Norman Baker: I regret that the requested information is not available other than at disproportionate cost, as DFT's accounting systems do not indicate which payments are made to registered charities as part of the delivery of the Department's objectives.

Cycling: Safety

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in her Department have attended each of the cycle safety stakeholder forums since their creation; and when the forums will next meet.

Michael Penning: The Cycle Safety Stakeholder Group is a sub-group of the Cycling Stakeholder Forum. Issues of significance raised at the Cycle Safety Stakeholder Group are promulgated to the Cycling Stakeholder Forum. Ministers have been present at all three meetings of the Cycling Stakeholder Forum. The safety sub-group met on 6 March 2012, 19 March 2012 and 15 May 2012. The DfT was represented at official level at all three meetings. The next Cycle Safety Stakeholder Group is due to meet in November 2012.

Cycling: Safety

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans her Department has to produce a strategy for cycle safety.

Michael Penning: The Government's approach to road safety is set out in the White Paper: “Strategic Framework for Road Safety”, and this sets out our approach to continuing to reduce casualties on Britain's roads. We are currently working with stakeholders through both the Cycling Stakeholder Forum and Cycle Safety Stakeholder Forum; and the Safety Forum is currently working on a list of ideas and actions to propose to Ministers.

Driving: Diabetes

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is taking to publicise the changes to the standards for drivers with diabetes mellitus in applying for a licence to drive lorries and buses.

Michael Penning: Information about the changes to medical standards for drivers with diabetes mellitus has been provided to diabetes interest groups, the press, road haulage and passenger transport industries and featured on both the DVLA and DirectGov websites. Detailed information was also provided to relevant health care professionals so that they could advise patients on changes to the medical standards for driving.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the Government Car and Despatch Agency will lose its agency status.

Michael Penning: The Government Car and Despatch Agency will lose agency status on the 1 October this year.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 491W, on Heathrow Airport, how many of the (a) terminating and (b) transfer passengers arrived at Heathrow from (i) short-haul and (ii) long-haul routes.

Theresa Villiers: The estimated number of terminating and transfer passengers arriving from short and long haul routes at Heathrow in 2011 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated number of arriving passengers 
			  million 
			  Terminating Transfer 
			 Short-haul (including domestic) 11 5 
			 Long-haul 12 6 
			 Total 23 12

Local Transport Boards

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local transport boards will be subject to requests made under the (a) Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (b) Environmental Information Regulations.

Norman Baker: Local Transport Bodies, as proposed in the Department's consultation on the devolution of major local transport schemes, may take a variety of different forms. Local authorities will play a key role as members of local transport bodies, and, as local authorities are public bodies, they are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. In addition, we have made it very clear in our consultation that we expect local transport bodies to operate with a high level of transparency and adhere to the local government Transparency Code.

Longbridge Station

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations her Department has received from (a) Birmingham city council, (b) Centro, (c) Network Rail and (d) London Midland on improvements to and renovation of Longbridge Station since May 2010.

Theresa Villiers: The Department has no record of any such representations since May 2010.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 8 June 2012 with regard to Mr G Hession.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), replied on the 26 July 2012.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the merits of separating the annual insurance check from the annual vehicle tax process.

Michael Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is planning to issue a public consultation on the proposal to separate the annual insurance check from the annual vehicle tax process. An initial impact assessment has been prepared and will accompany the consultation.

Official Cars

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what security checks are proposed for (a) drivers and (b) other staff from companies bidding for the contract to provide Ministerial car travel as part of the additional services to the Government Car Service.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport is currently working with the Government Procurement Service to establish a framework contract for the provision of a top up service for the Government Car Service which Departments can then choose to utilise. As part of the procurement process, providers have to ensure that all drivers and other staff supporting the contract are vetted to counter-terrorism check (CTC) level.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 46W, 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 640W and 2 July 2012, Official Report, columns 443-44W, on publications, how much her Department has spent on (a) publications and (b) consultation documents since May 2010.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has issued 139 new consultation documents since May 2010. In relation to costs, the only data that are readily available from the central Department is in relation to (a) printed publications and (b) consultations where printing costs can be separately identified. The amount spent since May 2010 is £359,000. However, I regret to say that further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The information provided relates to the central Department and its seven Executive agencies.

Railways: Capital Investment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the oral statement of 16 July 2012, Official Report, columns 687-90, on rail investment, which bodies will be able to apply for support under the £900 million smaller schemes category; what the (a) timescale and (b) methods are for making such applications; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The High Level Output Specification (HLOS) published on 16 July set out the strategic outputs for the period 2014 to 2019 sought by Government. It is now for the rail industry to determine how best to deliver these outcomes, overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation. The rail industry is expected to respond with a Strategic Plan in January 2013 setting out the schemes it believes are required to meet the outputs set out in the HLOS statement.

Railways: South West

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to her Department's publication, Unlocking Growth in Cities, what powers over rail planning and delivery she plans to give to Bristol and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

Theresa Villiers: The West of England Partnership of unitary authorities has expressed interest in taking on further responsibilities for rail as part of the Government's decentralisation agenda. We will be considering this in the autumn.

Rescue Services: Liverpool

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the coastguard station at Liverpool to close.

Michael Penning: The modernisation plan for Her Majesty's Coastguard was announced on 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 161-64. This announcement outlined that Liverpool MRCC would close by the end of financial year 2014-15.

Roadworks

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the likely effect on standards and quality of works of the revocation of the Street Works (Qualifications of Supervisors and Operatives) (England) Regulations 2009.

Norman Baker: Proposals to revoke regulations relating to Street Works qualifications were the subject of a recent consultation, which may be viewed on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-05/
	Published alongside the consultation documentation was an impact assessment which considered a consequential drop in standards of reinstatement and safety at sites very unlikely. My view is that, given the statutory codes of practice regulating safety and reinstatement standards, it is unnecessary to also regulate how individuals choose to equip themselves to meet those standards.

Roadworks

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps she plans to take to safeguard works once approval of permit schemes is devolved to local authorities;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the effect of inconsistency between permit schemes on the risks to safety and quality of works through inadvertent non-compliance; and what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the level of risk of removing the need for her to approve such permit schemes.

Norman Baker: A recent consultation on permit schemes (Department for Transport website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-02/) outlined my proposals for local authorities to operate permit schemes or vary existing schemes made under the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA.2004), which are operated under the Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007 ("the Regulations"). As permit schemes are operated by local authorities I do not consider that there will be any change to the safeguarding of works.
	There are now a number of authorities operating permit schemes, including those in London, Kent and Northamptonshire, which have now been in place long enough to have undertaken an assessment after 12 months. These schemes differ in their operation, but evidence shows they are delivering promising improvements to the effective use of the road network. Schemes are designed to be appropriate to local needs and I have therefore made no assessment of the effect of inconsistency between schemes.
	The consultation documents included a draft impact assessment and respondents were asked to supply views and evidence about the effect of removing the need for permit schemes to be centrally approved. Responses to the consultation are currently being analysed and considered and I plan to publish the Department's response by the end of the year.

Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Railway Line

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure electrification of the rail line between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

Theresa Villiers: The rail industry did not propose electrification of the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton line for delivery in the 2014-19 period and it was not included in the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) published in July. If the rail industry is able to demonstrate a business case for electrification, it could be considered for inclusion in a future HLOS.

Thameslink Railway Line

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Siemens will be deemed to be in default on the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract if it does not sign commercial close by a certain date; and whether any such date has been set.

Theresa Villiers: The Department expects to conclude negotiations and to award the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract early this autumn. Both the Department and Siemens are working to conclude the deal as quickly as possible. As the contract has not yet been awarded, there is no legal obligation of which Siemens would be in default if it does not sign by a certain date.

Thameslink Railway Line

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a time limit has been set between awarding of preferred bidder status and financial close for the Thameslink contract.

Theresa Villiers: The Department expects to conclude negotiations and to award the Thameslink Rolling Stock early this autumn.

Transport: Health

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department of the recommendations of the British Medical Association report entitled Healthy transport = Healthy lives.

Norman Baker: I welcome the British Medical Association's report which makes the case for closer integration between transport and health policy. The Department for Transport works with the Department of Health and local authorities to ensure transport policies help deliver health and wellbeing goals wherever possible. Our £600 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund is supporting improvements across the country for public transport users, cyclists and pedestrians, with almost all of the approved packages including measures to increase active travel. We are also working with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and others to support local authorities in aligning transport and health policies in advance of the devolution of public health responsibilities in 2013. In this context, I wrote to the British Medical Association on 2 August to outline our current work and offer assistance in disseminating their conclusions to local authorities.

West Coast Railway Line

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the expected timetable is for the awarding of the Inter-City West Coast franchise.

Theresa Villiers: Bids for the new West Coast franchise due to start in December 2012 were received in May 2012 and were thoroughly evaluated. The Department for Transport announced the award of the new franchise to First West Coast Limited on 15 August 2012.

West Coast Railway Line

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to ensure that on-train catering facilities are maintained at an acceptable level under arrangements for the new Inter-City West Coast franchise.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport announced the award of the new franchise to First West Coast Limited on 15 August 2012.
	The new contract requires the new franchisee to make available either or both of:
	(a) an on board shop or fixed catering facility; and/or
	(b) a trolley-based catering facility
	in respect of at least 95% of passenger services, with effect from the end of 2014.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drink banning orders on (a) application and (b) conviction were issued in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) Ashfield constituency in each of the last three years.

Lynne Featherstone: In England and Wales there were the following drinking banning orders issued.
	
		
			  Number on application Number on conviction 
			 2010 35 0 
			 2011 8 313 
			 2012 (until end of May 2012) 48 443 
		
	
	In Nottinghamshire there were the following drinking banning orders issued.
	
		
			  Number on application Number on conviction 
			 2010 3 0 
			 2011 0 11 
			 2012 4 14 
			 Source: HM Courts Service (latest published figures available end of May 2012) 
		
	
	Figures for the individual constituency area of Ashfield are not held centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reduce the number of cases of underage binge drinking in the UK.

Lynne Featherstone: The Alcohol Strategy published in March 2012 outlines the action that the Government are taking to address underage binge drinking including support to parents and young people about the dangers of alcohol. This also includes doubling the maximum fine for the offence of persistently selling alcohol to children to £20,000 and increasing the punitive period of closure that can be imposed on a premises from 48 to 336 hours (two weeks).

Animal Experiments: EU Law

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason she has changed her interpretation of EU Directive 2010/63/EU in respect of the use of stray and feral animals in experiments; and what consultation she undertook on this change.

Lynne Featherstone: European directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes is to be implemented in the United Kingdom through a revision of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) from 1 January 2013.
	Interpretation of the provisions of the directive has been an ongoing process informed by legal advice, responses to the public consultation on options for transposition of the directive held in 2011, and discussions with the bioscience sector, animal welfare and protection groups, funding bodies, training bodies and practitioners under ASPA and the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Inspectorate.
	The position with respect to stray animals has changed since I last responded to the House on this matter in my written answer to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin) on 21 June 2012, Official Report, columns 1111-12W.
	After further consideration, I am now satisfied that I am not required to transpose the discretion contained in Article 11 to permit the use of stray animals. I have therefore concluded that it is possible to prohibit the use of stray animals of domestic species, without any exemptions, under the revised ASPA. This is now reflected in the draft regulations published in July 2012.
	The draft regulations also prohibit the use of feral animals of domestic species, but include specific exemptions for essential studies relating to either the health or welfare of the animals or a serious threat to the environment or to human or animal health and where the purpose can only be achieved by using feral animals. I believe these exemptions are necessary for the rare occasions on which the use of feral animals may be justified. Any exemption will be strictly controlled through the relevant project authorisation to ensure only feral animals are used.

Antisocial Behaviour

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) individual support orders, (b) intervention orders and (c) designated public place orders were issued in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) Ashfield constituency in each of the last five years.

Lynne Featherstone: The figures requested for the last three years were provided in answer to the hon. Member’s previous questions, 114851 and 114785, 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 777-78W. The figures for the preceding two years, 2007 and 2008, are as follows.
	In 2007, 50 Individual Support Orders (ISOs) were attached to antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at magistrates courts in England and Wales, none of which were issued in Nottinghamshire. In 2008, 41 ISOs were attached to antisocial behaviour orders issued at magistrates courts in England and Wales, none of which were issued in Nottinghamshire. Centrally held data on ISOs are not collated below police force area level.
	The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) did not collect data on Intervention Orders (IOs) attached to ASBOs until 1 October 2007. No IOs were reported to MOJ as having been issued in England and Wales between 1 October 2007 and 31 December 2007. Two IOs were reported as having been issued in 2008, neither of which was issued in Nottinghamshire.
	133 Designated Public Place Orders (DPPOs) were granted in England and Wales in 2007, including seven in Nottinghamshire and none in Ashfield. 89 DPPOs were granted in England and Wales in 2008, including three in Nottinghamshire and none in Ashfield.

Biometrics

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the use of IRIS scanners; what estimate she has made of the total cost of this technology, including its removal; and if she will make a statement

Damian Green: A decision has been taken to decommission the Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS). IRIS was the first biometrically enabled automated border control system installed in the UK and has now been operating for nearly seven years. IRIS provided significant benefits to our border operation but we are now establishing our longer-term business needs for our automated clearance systems. Although IRIS is very secure as a biometric and relatively quick to capture and verify, it is not widely used in travel documentation or within other related services.
	In total, we have spent £4.9 million in capital and by September 2012 will have spent £5.6 million in resource costs on IRIS, which includes all decommissioning costs.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to extend the proposed authority to carry scheme from aviation to maritime and rail entry points.

Lynne Featherstone: International aviation remains a target for terrorist attack, as demonstrated by the foiled bomb plot in May 2012. The Security and Travel Bans Authority to Carry Scheme 2012 applies to air passenger carriers. However the Government is not complacent; we understand that international rail and maritime services are not immune from terrorist attack and, in principle, plan to extend future authority to carry arrangements to those services.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects a fully automated authority to carry scheme to be in place; and what estimate she has made of the costs of a fully automated scheme.

Damian Green: We are currently undertaking the design phase to deliver the technical capability for an automated scheme, with implementation due in 2013. The scheme will then be rolled out to carriers.
	Currently our best estimate of the cost of implementing the automated system, which was included in the final Impact Assessment of the Implementation of an Authority-to-Carry Scheme under section 124 of Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 published in February 2012, is £37 million over a 10-year implementation period.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost has been of the e-Borders programme to date.

Damian Green: Between 1 April 2007 and 30 June 2012, the e-Borders Programme cost £409 million.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the providers are of the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The e-Borders Programme has a number of suppliers: Fincore, Fujitsu, IBM and Serco.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to secure a long-term provider or providers for the e-Borders programme beyond 2014.

Damian Green: The Border Systems procurement project within e-Borders has been established to acquire a new service provider to take responsibility for the maintenance and future development of the e-Borders applications. The procurement exercise, which will be EU advertised, will be initiated in the autumn.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to extend authority to carry to include crime and immigration; and when she expects this to take place.

Damian Green: The Government plans to extend authority to carry arrangements to individuals who would be refused entrance to the UK on serious crime or immigration grounds. This will be subject to the implementation of automated messaging between e-Borders and carriers' systems which can support the operation of authority to carry in respect of a significantly larger number of individuals than those subject to refusal of entry on security grounds. We are currently undertaking the design phase to deliver the technical capability for an automated scheme, with implementation due to begin in 2013.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from how many annual passenger movements passenger name record data are collected.

Damian Green: We are currently collecting passenger name record data from 15.8 million annualised passenger movements. This figure is management information.

British Nationals Abroad

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many of the Britons arrested and charged abroad between April 2011 and March 2012 for the rape and sexual abuse of minors under the age of 18 had previously received a foreign travel order;
	(2)  how many of the Britons arrested and charged between April 2011 and March 2012 for the rape and sexual abuse of minors under the age of 18 were on the Violent and Sex Offenders Register at the time the offences took place;
	(3)  how many Britons arrested and charged abroad between April 2011 and March 2012 for the rape and sexual abuse of minors under the age of 18 had previously been reported missing by the UK police.

Lynne Featherstone: The statistical data requested are not held centrally.

Brodie Clark

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payment the former head of the UK Border Force, Brodie Clark, received on leaving his post.

Damian Green: holding answer 17 July 2012
	This information was provided in both the UK Border Agency and the Home Office accounts, which were laid before Parliament on 12 July 2012.
	The 2011-12 UKBA Annual Report and Accounts are available from the Vote Office (HC344).

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which registered charities her Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Damian Green: The Home Office has made payments to registered charities in the last three years. However, it is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Payments to registered charities are monitored to ensure that recipients deliver the objectives of individual projects as well as contribute to the strategic aims of the Department.

Close Protection UK

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the ability of Close Protection UK to meet financial obligations related to contracts awarded to it by her Department.

Damian Green: The Home Office and its executive agencies do not hold any contracts with Close Protection UK.

Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of any differences in levels of criminality between (a) men and (b) women; and what assessment she has made of the reasons for any difference between the two figures.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has previously published research that, among other issues, examined differences in levels of offending between men and women.
	A Home Office report (published in 2012) on the amount of youth crime estimated that 85% of police recorded crime in 2009-10 committed by young people aged 10 to 17 was committed by young men:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	Earlier studies by the Home Office have produced similar findings. For example, a survey of offending among the general public conducted by the Home Office between 2003-06 (the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey) found higher rates of self-reported offending among males than females:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
	The Home Office has not made any assessment specifically of the reasons for different levels of criminality between men and women.

Entry Clearances

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her strategy is to ensure that people who are refused extensions to their visas leave the UK.

Damian Green: We have always been clear that those with no right to be in the UK should leave the country voluntarily. Where we have evidence that they have failed to do so we will take steps to enforce their removal.
	This summer we launched a UK-wide operation to remove overstayers and we have already seen over 2,000 individuals removed since the campaign started. Employers caught taking on foreign nationals without permission to work can be fined up to £10,000 per offender.
	We are undertaking a procurement to contract with a provider who will deal with migration refusal cases. Under the contract, all individuals refused an extension of their leave will be contacted to alert them to the requirement to leave the UK. Where individuals with no leave have not left or do not leave the UK voluntarily, the team will deal with barriers to removal such as obtaining travel documentation and will pass cases to local immigration teams to enforce removal.

Entry Clearances

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to resolve the cases of individuals reported by Sir John Vine who may or may not have left the UK after visa extensions have been refused.

Damian Green: All the cases identified by Mr John Vine have been refused leave to remain in the UK. They are expected to leave the UK. We will appoint a contractor in September to contact all the people concerned and establish their plans for leaving if they have not already done so. These contacts will be complete by April 2013.

Entry Clearances: Shipping

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Tier 2 of the points-based system applies to non-EEA seafarers seeking admission to the UK to work on vessels where the tour of duty does not leave UK territorial waters; what recent assessment her Department has made of the effects of the changes to the qualification levels to Tier 2 effective from 1 July 2012 on the application of the points-based system in these circumstances; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Non-EEA seafarers who wish to work on vessels which do not leave British waters need to obtain permission to work through Tier 2 of the Points-Based System.
	In April 2011 we increased the skills requirement for Tier 2 of the Points Based System from NQF 3 to NQF 4. We have subsequently, in June this year, raised the requirement to NQF6 for the majority of Tier 2 roles—the exceptions being jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, which currently does not include any seafaring occupations, and certain creative roles. Therefore, unless non-EEA seafarers are intending to take up roles skilled to NQF 6 or above, they are not eligible to come to the UK under Tier 2.
	The Migration Advisory Committee considered whether ships' officers should be added to the Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List as part of its review of that list published in September 2011. It concluded that this occupation should not be added to the List. The impact of the Tier 2 limit for 2012-13, including the impacts on specific occupations of raising the skills threshold for Tier 2 to NQF6, was assessed by the Migration Advisory Committee in its report published in February 2012. The MAC's reports are available at:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/indbodies/mac/reports-publications/

Extradition

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to provide the results of the exercise carried out by her Department to estimate the average cost to the public purse of the processes arising from extradition requests under parts 1 and 2 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Damian Green: The exercise to which the hon. Member refers is continuing. The results will be published in due course.

G4S

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to review her Department's contracts with G4S.

Damian Green: The Home Office regularly reviews all contracts with G4S on a quarterly basis at Executive Oversight Board meetings, which are attended by senior executives from G4S and senior officials from the Home Office.

Gender Recognition

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a progress report on each of the proposed actions set out in the Government's transgender equality plan for action.

Lynne Featherstone: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 469W.

Health Education

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of her Department's public awareness campaigns to reduce the level of (a) alcohol abuse, (b) drug abuse and (c) domestic violence in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table summarises Home Office spend on public awareness campaigns on alcohol, drugs and domestic violence in each of the last five years. The figures relate to the cost of television, cinema, radio, print, posters and online media, and exclude VAT, production costs and agency fees.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Alcohol Drugs Domestic violence/abuse 
			 2011-12 0 855,526 1,283,164 
			 2010-11 0 16,058 0 
			 2009-10 1,914,786 1,180,809 1,828,531 
			 2008-09 3,617,492 1,650,302 0 
			 2007-08 3,220,411 1,667,965 0

Human Trafficking

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's estimate is of the number of people trafficked into the UK in each of the last 10 years by nationality and region; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Victims of human trafficking are identified through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The NRM started on 1 April 2009 and data are only available from this date onwards. NRM data do not reflect all instances of human trafficking, only those where the individual was referred to the NRM (and, in the case of adults, where they have consented to be referred to the NRM). All published NRM data, including the number of trafficked victims by nationality, is available on the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) portion of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) website:
	http://www.soca.gov.uk/about-soca/about-the-ukhtc/national-referral-mechanism/statistics
	I have placed copies of the NRM statistical reports covering the period 1 April 2009 to 31 December 2011 in the Library of the House.

Immigration

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the length of time taken to process applications for (a) indefinite leave to remain and (b) British citizenship (i) in Greater London and (ii) nationally.

Damian Green: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard reports.
	However, data relating to the number of decisions made within service standards for the financial year 2011-12 are provided in the following tables and available from the UK Border Agency website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/percentage-of-migration/
	
		
			 Quarterly data—Migration service standards 
			 New cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 78 15,625 19,915 65 14,026 21,430 
			 Employment 90 19,047 21,273 87 20,284 23,231 
			 Study 84 19,942 23,813 89 23,473 26,481 
			 Permanent residence 94 30,880 32,883 90 31,431 35,035 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 98 15,934 16,279 89 27,132 30,645 
			 Accession 99 66,352 66,767 98 77,292 78,787 
			 British citizenship 99 51,765 52,429 99 55,998 56,658 
			 Sponsor licensing 82 2,823 3,447 58 1,819 3,135 
			 Non-settlement visas 92 668,296 724,092 96 719,577 752,223 
			 Settlement visas 89 16,395 18,493 88 17,258 19,667 
			 Overall total 93 907,059 979,391 94 988,290 1,047,292 
		
	
	
		
			 New cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 71 15,304 21,537 62 16,550 26,806 
			 Employment 56 11,729 20,878 76 27,064 35,560 
			 Study 79 40,003 50,394 86 34,743 40,364 
			 Permanent residence 88 26,821 30,531 92 32,962 35,867 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 98 28,734 29,181 99 38,812 39,164 
			 Accession 98 72,684 74,402 98 56,013 56,866 
			 British citizenship 99 44,493 44,983 99 50,905 51,615 
			 Sponsor licensing 74 2,153 2,892 81 2,142 2,653 
			 Non-settlement visas 97 465,744 481,373 96 486,117 507,064 
			 Settlement visas 94 20,748 22,183 93 21,196 22,798 
			 Overall total 94 728,413 778,354 94 766,504 818,757 
		
	
	
		
			 New cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Full year 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 69 61,505 89,688 
			 Employment 77 78,124 100,942 
			 Study 84 118,161 141,052 
			 Permanent residence 91 122,094 134,316 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 96 110,612 115,269 
			 Accession 98 272,341 276,822 
			 British citizenship 99 203,161 205,685 
			 Sponsor licensing 74 8,937 12,127 
			 Non-settlement visas 95 2,339,734 2,464,752 
			 Settlement visas 91 75,597 83,141 
			 Overall total 94 3,390,266 3,623,794 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 66 15,832 24,157 59 14,060 23,675 
			 Employment 87 19,220 21,980 86 20,297 23,472 
			 Study 73 21,564 29,484 83 23,498 28,254 
			 Permanent residence 91 30,880 34,075 87 31,431 36,083 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 93 15,934 17,089 79 27,132 34,139 
			 Accession 99 66,352 66,767 98 77,292 78,787 
			 British citizenship 99 51,765 52,429 99 55,998 56,658 
			 Sponsor licensing 82 2,823 3,447 58 1,819 3,135 
			 Non-settlement visas 92 668,296 724,092 96 719,577 752,223 
			 Settlement visas 89 16,395 18,493 88 17,258 19,667 
			 Overall total 92 909,061 992,013 94 988,362 1,056,093 
			 Deferred cases — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 57 15,313 27,080 58 16,551 28,592 
			 Employment 56 11,729 21,062 76 27,064 35,686 
			 Study 79 40,003 50,805 86 34,743 40,631 
			 Permanent residence 78 26,821 34,255 89 32,962 37,038 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 98 28,734 29,424 97 38,812 40,068 
			 Accession 98 72,684 74,402 98 56,013 56,866 
			 British citizenship 99 44,493 44,983 99 50,905 51,615 
			 Sponsor licensing 74 2,153 2,892 81 2,142 2,653 
			 Non-settlement visas 97 465,744 481,373 96 486,117 507,064 
			 Settlement visas 94 20,748 22,183 93 21,196 22,798 
			 Overall total 92 728,422 788,459 93 766,505 823,011 
			 Deferred cases — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2010-11 
			  Full year 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 60 61,756 103,504 
			 Employment 77 78,310 102,200 
			 Study 80 119,808 149,174 
			 Permanent residence 86 122,094 141,451 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 92 110,612 120,720 
			 Accession 98 272,341 276,822 
			 British citizenship 99 203,161 205,685 
			 Sponsor licensing 74 8,937 12,127 
			 Non-settlement visas 95 2,339,734 2,464,752 
			 Settlement visas 91 75,597 83,141 
			 Overall total 93 3,392,350 3,659,576 
			 Deferred cases — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2011-12 
			  Quarter 1 2011-12 Quarter 2 2011-12 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 72 10,511 14,640 70 10,836 15,488 
		
	
	
		
			 Employment 72 15,958 22,139 81 19,663 24,239 
			 Study 91 22,763 25,011 78 15,803 20,194 
			 Permanent residence 90 27,595 30,503 92 29,387 31,905 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 98 32,486 33,204 98 34,071 34,627 
			 Accession       
			 British citizenship 98 41,629 42,385 98 49,105 49,931 
			 Sponsor licensing 74 1,584 2,133 79 1,889 2,392 
			 Non-settlement visas 89 703,469 790,053 90 670,153 745,536 
			 Settlement visas 91 13,445 14,694 89 18,626 21,032 
			 Overall total 89 869,404 974,775 90 849,565 945,348 
			 Deferred cases — — — 13 258 2,013 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2011-12 
			  Quarter 3 2011-12 Quarter 4 2011-12 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 69 10,469 15,083 61 8,162 13,309 
			 Employment 83 20,506 24,670 86 25,481 29,790 
			 Study 77 33,784 43,808 67 17,046 25,323 
			 Permanent residence 91 26,736 29,396 91 24,657 27,154 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 99 35,121 35,509 98 31,247 32,026 
			 Accession       
			 British citizenship 98 42,396 43,142 97 47,439 48,718 
			 Sponsor licensing 84 1,835 2,182 80 1,209 1,518 
			 Non-settlement visas 94 403,407 427,845 97 467,696 483,374 
			 Settlement visas 89 13,847 15,530 92 14,348 15,600 
			 Overall total 92 587,945 637,015 94 637,285 676,812 
			 Deferred cases 2 18 776 0 1 1,011 
		
	
	
		
			 All cases decided in 2011-12 
			  Full year 2011-12 
			  Percentage of applications decided within service standard Number of applications decided within service standard Total number of applications decided 
			 Family and visiting the UK 68 39,978 58,520 
			 Employment 81 81,608 100,838 
			 Study 78 89,396 114,336 
			 Permanent residence 91 108,375 118,958 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework 98 132,925 135,366 
			 Accession    
			 British citizenship 98 180,569 184,176 
			 Sponsor licensing 79 6,517 8,225 
			 Non-settlement visas 92 2,244,725 2,446,808 
			 Settlement visas 90 60,266 66,856 
			 Overall total 91 2,944,359 3,234,083 
			 Deferred cases 7 277 3,800 
		
	
	
		
			 Service standards 
			  Percentage in weeks/months 
			 In-country applications—postal service standards  
			 Family and visiting the UK (1)65% in 4 weeks 
			 Employment (1)75% in 4 weeks 
			 Study (1)75% in 4 weeks 
			 Permanent residence (1)95% in 6 months 
			 European casework, ECAA and Bulgaria and Romania casework (1)95% in 6 months 
			 Accession 95% in 4 weeks 
			 British citizenship 95% in 6 months 
		
	
	
		
			 Sponsor licensing 65% in 4 weeks 
			   
			 Overseas service standards  
			 Non-settlement visas 90% in 3 weeks 
			 Settlement visas 95% in 12 weeks 
			 (1) Premium service standard is 95% on same day Notes: 1. In-country figures include postal and premium applications. 2. All figures quoted are management information which have been subject to internal quality assurance checks. However, the numbers may differ from figures published as National Statistics in the Home Office Control of Immigration statistical publications as they are drawn from different snapshots of the UK Border Agency databases.

Immigration Controls

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to staff operating passport and security desks at sea and airports on customer friendly attitudes; by what means the effectiveness of such training is monitored; and at what frequency refresher training sessions are undertaken.

Damian Green: Border Force constantly strives to provide a high standard of customer service at the border. Border Force officers are provided with a range of customer service training. The effectiveness of this training is monitored by Border Force managers at ports, who observe frontline staff on a daily basis to ensure that they are polite and professional in their dealings with the public.
	Border Force staff performance is regularly monitored by the number and nature of the complaints received from the public. Complaints alleging unprofessional conduct are always investigated and action is taken to retrain the officer where appropriate. A summary report of all complaints is prepared and disseminated to staff.
	As part of the Olympics legacy, the 'First Impressions Count' training which was rolled out to all staff will be incorporated into future training packages.

Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often UK Border Force staff are given updated training on forgery detection skills.

Damian Green: All officers who staff the Primary Checkpoint (PCP) receive forgery training designed by the UK Border Agency Operational intelligence Directorate, National Document Fraud Unit (NDFU). This is then supplemented by regular local refresher training delivered by local forgery teams on trends and specific documents encountered at ports and intelligence and alerts disseminated locally and by the NDFU. The regularity of supplementary training will depend on local issues. The NDFU also conducts a national programme for forgery training and invites bids for training once a year.

Immigration Controls

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the methodology used by the UK Border Force to measure queue levels.

Damian Green: In order to assess the queue measurement methodology used by Border Force, a team of analysts and the Home Office's scientific adviser were deployed to Heathrow, last May as part of continuing quality assurance work. This on-the-ground assessment highlighted how measurement methodology could be improved. Border Force and BAA are now working closely together to create an agreed methodology.

Immigration Controls

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the reintroduction of exit checks to be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Government has committed to the reintroduction of exit checks by March 2015.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) EU and (b) non-EU immigration desks were open at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 at 7.20 am on 9 July 2012.

Damian Green: There are no published statistics for 9 July 2012 at that time.
	Local management records show that more than 80% of desks were opened to deal with the morning peak on 9 July.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional managerial staff are being recruited by the UK Border Force at Heathrow airport; at what pay grade; and at what cost to the public purse.

Damian Green: Border Force appointed eight managerial staff at Heathrow airport in June/July this year to help improve management control across all Heathrow terminals.
	These posts are at Senior Border Force Officer level which attract a pay scale of between £33,953 and £39,537.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether additional UK Border Force managerial staff at Heathrow airport will be trained to staff the primary control points at the airport.

Damian Green: UK Border Force will seek to train all its staff at all grades at Heathrow airport to man the primary control points.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of UK Border Force funds allocated for the re-opening of Heathrow Terminal 2 in 2014 has been re-allocated to fund an increase in UK Border Force staff; and if she will assess the potential effects of that reallocation on the resources available when Terminal 2 reopens.

Damian Green: The funds allocated for the reopening of Heathrow Terminal 2 remain in place and have not been re-allocated.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions there have been multiple breaches of queue targets on single days at London Heathrow Airport for (a) non-European Economic Area passengers and (b) European Economic Area passengers since January 2012.

Damian Green: There is no published data on the number of occasions that multiple breaches of queue targets occurred at London Heathrow airport.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons queue targets have not been achieved at London Heathrow Airport following changes to UK Border Force rostering systems.

Damian Green: A number of factors—including rostering—can affect achievement of queue targets. BAA published data (available at BAA.com) have shown that all Heathrow terminals saw a significant improvement in waiting time performance from April to May and that this was sustained in June despite increased passenger volumes.
	A new rostering system was introduced on 3 June.

Immigration Controls: Heathrow Airport

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many secondary detection area staff at London Heathrow Airport are being trained to work at non-European economic area desks (a) for business as usual and (b) prior to the London 2012 Olympics.

Damian Green: There are a number of secondary detection staff at Heathrow who are trained to work at the primary check point. We are unable to provide statistics for the number of staff trained to work at the non-EEA desks for business as usual and prior to the London 2012 Olympics as these are not published by the Home Office for border security reasons.

Immigration Controls: Ports

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that forgery detection equipment is used consistently by UK Border Force officers at primary control points across UK ports.

Damian Green: Minimum standards for forgery equipment used throughout Border Force and the UK Border Agency are set by the UKBA Operational Intelligence Directorate National Document Fraud Unit (NDFU).
	All Border Force officers are required to use visual forgery detection techniques when examining travel documents. All UK ports also have access to forgery officers who have received specialist training in forgery techniques and equipment.

Immigration Controls: St Pancras Station

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what entry checks are conducted on (a) EEA and (b) non-EEA Eurostar passengers on arrival at St Pancras International; and whether checks are conducted on all such passengers.

Damian Green: Border Force staff at St Pancras undertake secondary customs examination as required on all services and perform additional ticket checks on EEA and non-EEA passengers from Brussels.
	Full Passport checks are also carried out on all EEA and non-EEA Eurostar passengers on trains arriving from Marne-la-Vallee (Disneyland) and seasonal trains from Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Avignon by staff at St Pancras.
	Full passport checks are carried out on all EEA and non-EEA passengers travelling to the UK at the Eurostar stations in Brussels, Paris and Lille by Border Force officers.

Immigration Controls: St Pancras Station

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target is for (a) European Economic Area and (b) non-European Economic Area Eurostar passengers to clear immigration checks at St Pancras International.

Damian Green: As St Pancras is not the primary immigration check point for the majority of Eurostar passengers, there is no formal service level agreement to clear passengers.
	Full passport checks are carried out on all EEA and non-EEA Eurostar passengers on trains arriving from Marne-la-Vallee (Disneyland) and seasonal trains from Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Avignon by staff at St Pancras.
	Staff at St Pancras adhere to the national queue clearance targets of 25 minutes for EEA and 45 minutes for non-EEA passengers.
	Full passport checks are carried out on all EEA and non-EEA passengers travelling to the UK at the Eurostar stations in Brussels, Paris and Lille by Border Force officers.

Immigration Controls: St Pancras Station

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average immigration waiting time was for (a) non-European economic area and (b) European economic area customers arriving at St Pancras International in each of the last 12 months.

Damian Green: Passengers arriving at St Pancras are not segregated into EEA and non-EEA queues and so Border Force records the average time it takes to clear an entire train rather than individual passengers.
	Border Force does not hold monthly figures in the format requested but those held show that those services that are subject to full immigration controls on arrival (Marne-la-Vallée, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Avignon) take an average of 35 minutes to clear.
	Passengers on services that have passed through a UK Juxtaposed Control (Paris and Lille) are not subject to any form of immigration control on arrival at St Pancras and the time taken to clear these trains is not recorded by Border Force.
	Passengers on services from Brussels are subject to a ticket and document check on arrival at St Pancras if they arrived on a service with open sale of tickets between Brussels and Lille, or a ticket check only if arriving on a restricted ticket sale service. This is in order to counter any threat posed by illegal immigration via the 'Lille Loophole' and passengers on these services take an average of 21 minutes to clear.

Immigration: France

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with her French counterpart on measures to deal with refugees from North Africa moving into France from Italy.

Damian Green: The movement of North African migrants from Italy into France following the events of the Arab Spring in 2011 was the subject of considerable discussion within the EU, including by the Justice and Home Affairs Council, usually attended by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and her French counterpart.
	The Home Secretary discussed migratory pressures from North Africa with the French Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, on 6 June 2011 during a joint visit to Calais, including possible practical cooperation with the countries of the Southern Mediterranean on the management of migration.
	Following the change of administration in France, the Home Secretary met with her new counterpart, Manuel Vails, on 21 June 2012, and they discussed mostly security matters. On the same date I also met M. Vails; during our meeting I reiterated the UK's interest in strong Schengen borders and the work of FRONTEX (the agency that promotes, coordinates and develops the EU's management of its borders).

Immigration: Vietnam

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Border Agency has met with the Government of Vietnam and non-government organisations in Vietnam about the return of Vietnamese children; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, undertook a fact finding mission to Vietnam between 15 and 25 May. The primary aim of the mission was to explore if a new family tracing mechanism could be established for Vietnamese unaccompanied minors.
	The UK delegation met with a range of governmental and non-governmental stakeholders who have responsibility in Vietnam for the full spectrum of care-related services for vulnerable young adults/victims of trafficking.
	The observations of the fact finding mission are currently being analysed, and subject to the outcome of those observations, wider discussions will take place as appropriate with governmental and voluntary sector partners.

Knives: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on steps to reduce the level of knife crime.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government's programme to tackle gang-related and youth violence, including knife crime, is set out in the Ending Gang and Youth.
	Violence Report published as a Command Paper (Cm8211) in November 2011, and available via the Vote Office. As part of this programme the Home Office has re-prioritised £10 million of funding in 2012-13 to provide targeted support to the 29 areas most affected by serious youth violence. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) chairs an Inter-Ministerial Group, which meets quarterly and oversees the delivery of commitments in the report.
	The last meeting was on 18 June 2012.

Legal Costs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on legal fees in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: The Home Office including its executive agencies spent the following amounts on fees for legal work in each of the last three financial years:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2009-10 20,383,351 
			 2010-11 38,294,545 
			 2011-12 54,530,628 
		
	
	The increase in spend on legal fees in the last two financial years is for legal advice and support which is associated with an increase in the number of judicial reviews of UKBA immigration decisions and OSCT advice and representation. That is why the Government is changing the immigration rules to prevent the abuse of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
	The Government Equalities Office (GEO) joined the Home Office under machinery of government changes in April 2011. GEO spend on fees for legal work in 2009-10 was £1,045,000 and in 2010-11 was £975,000.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to the Minister for Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Dr G Fletcher.

Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 19 July 2012.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to the Minister for Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 11 June 2012 with regard to Miss M I Adedapo.

Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 17 July 2012.

National Crime Agency

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy that the National Crime Agency should be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Nick Herbert: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 824. The Government remains firmly of the view that the National Crime Agency (NCA), like the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), should be exempt from Freedom of Information legislation, as provided for by the Crime and Courts Bill. To apply the Freedom of Information Act to the NCA would jeopardise its operational effectiveness and ultimately result in lower levels of protection for the public, as Lord Henley, the Minister of State for Crime Prevention and Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction, explained in the Other Place on 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 1641.
	I remain equally firmly committed to ensuring that the NCA is as open and transparent as possible. In support of that aim the Bill sets out that the NCA's Director General must publish an Annual Plan and Annual Report, and provides a new statutory duty that he or she must publish information about the Agency's functions and other matters relating to the Agency. The information that must be published under the duty will be set out in the NCA Framework Document, which will itself be published and laid before Parliament.

National Crime Agency

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2012 to the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, Official Report, column 824, on police (administrative burden), what further discussions she has had on the accountability and transparency of the National Crime Agency; and what the outcome was of those discussions.

Nick Herbert: The Government have set out clear arrangements in the Crime and Courts Bill to ensure that the NCA will be fully accountable, open and transparent to Government, Parliament and the public. The Bill sets out that the NCA's Director General must publish an Annual Plan and Annual Report, and provides a new statutory duty that he or she must publish information about the Agency's functions and other matters relating to the Agency. The sorts of information that must be published under the duty will be set out in the NCA Framework Document, which will itself be published and laid before Parliament. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statements made on this issue in the Other Place by my noble Friend Lord Henley, Minister of State for crime prevention and antisocial behaviour reduction, on 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 1640. The Framework Document will also set out in more detail the respective roles and responsibilities of the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and Director General, including the arrangements for the NCA's performance reporting and financial accounting.

National Wildlife Crime Unit

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to publish the future funding plans for the National Wildlife Crime Unit.

Lynne Featherstone: Decisions on Home Office funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) beyond 2012-13 will be taken by Ministers later this year, in light of wider crime and policing priorities.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to ensure that troops deployed to provide security to the London 2012 Olympic Games are not suffering from mental health problems following their return from deployment that could be exacerbated by duty at the Games.

Andrew Robathan: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
	Dedicated military medical facilities have been deployed to provide medical and dental care for armed forces personnel deployed in support of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, and qualified medical staff will provide any necessary treatment and referral.
	Throughout their careers, service personnel are provided with advice on recognising and managing mental health problems, and on the importance of seeking help if they need it. All personnel returning from deployment overseas are provided with a stress brief which aims to highlight normal reactions to traumatic events, gives some helpful strategies to aid readjustment and details other sources of help. Other briefs which deal with risk-taking behaviours and the ‘homecoming' experience are also given.
	Any member of the armed forces who is identified as having a mental health problem will be given whatever treatment they need, and if necessary restrictions may be placed on the type of work they can do. No member of the armed forces will be employed on any duties unless they are fit to do so, and personnel who develop a mental health problem following overseas deployment are aware of the steps they should take to obtain treatment. This is available wherever they happen to be working at the time, including assisting with security for the Olympic games.

Organised Crime

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the (a) level and (b) costs of each type of serious organised criminal activity in each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Home Office estimates of the costs and levels of organised crime are discussed in the 2011 organised crime strategy, 'Local to Global', and the most recent estimates published by the Home Office suggest that organised crime costs the UK between £20 billion and £40 billion a year. Separate estimates are not available for nations or regions of the UK, or for each of the last 10 years. See:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	A copy of the strategy is available in the Library of the House.
	For further information; the Home Office has produced estimates of the scale (UK) and costs (England and Wales) of drug markets, which are the result of organised crime. These were published in 2006 for the year 2003-04 and are available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	The Home Office publishes information on the size of the organised crime problem (the number of known organised crime groups and individuals identified by law enforcement) as part of the Home Office business plan impact indicators at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	Work is ongoing to produce information on scale and costs of organised crime, and this will be published as part of the indicator when available.

Police: Recruitment

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the implications of the Winsor Report for diversity in the police service, with reference to the recommendations to (a) increase the pass mark for the recruits selection test and (b) to increase the fitness standard for recruits and serving officers.

Nick Herbert: The recommendations on raising the pass mark for SEARCH assessment test and fitness testing are included in the Policy Equality Statement in Tom Winsor's Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions—Final Report, which was published on 15 March. In the report, Tom Winsor states that the effect that raising the pass mark has on protected groups should be monitored by the appropriate body. For fitness testing, he says, in his view, the test is justifiable because it is job related and does not have a disproportionately detrimental effect on people on the grounds of age or sex.
	These recommendations have been referred to the police negotiating machinery for consideration.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), will consider carefully the potential equality impact of raising the pass mark for SEARCH and recommendations on annual fitness tests for officers in line with her legal responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act 2010.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 87W, on publications, how much her Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) publications and (c) consultation documents since May 2010.

Damian Green: Costs associated with producing circulars and consultation documents in the Home Office and its agencies are not centrally recorded.
	Further to our answer of 11 June, the cost of (b) printed publications produced during April 2010 to March 2011 was £188,680 and from April 2011 to May 2012 was £102,241.
	Before becoming part of the Home Office, spend by the Government Equalities Office on all consultation documents and publications in the financial year 2010-11 was £104,000.

Riot Control Weapons

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many plastic bullets are available to English and Welsh police forces; and what advice her Department has issued to police forces on their use.

Nick Herbert: The deployment of plastic bullets, more accurately called Attenuating Energy Projectiles, is the responsibility of individual chief officers. The Home Office has not provided advice to police forces on their use or storage.

Scientific Procedures Inspectorate

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit, Annual Report 2011, for what reason there was a reduction in the number of inspectors in the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate between 2009 and 2011.

Lynne Featherstone: The number of designated establishments fell from 258 in 2000, to 181 at the end of 2011, a decrease of 30%. The 15% reduction in the number of inspectors between 2009 and 2011 in part reflects this decrease in workload. I am confident the Inspectorate is adequately staffed to meet current and predicted future needs.
	The risk-based approach to inspection, as set out in Appendix 2 of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual Report 2011, explains how the expected workload for inspectors relates to a number of risk factors. These include the volume of anticipated research work, the severity of procedures being performed, the species being used (particularly the specially protected species: cats, dogs, primates and equines) and other risks associated with the use of animals in scientific research.

Scientific Procedures Inspectorate

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors are employed in the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate.

Lynne Featherstone: There are 22 inspectors currently employed in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Inspectorate.

Scientific Procedures Inspectorate

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to increase the number of inspectors employed in the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate to the number in post as of May 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: I have no current plans to increase the number of inspectors employed in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Inspectorate.

Scientific Procedures Inspectorate

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 18 March 2011, Official Report, columns 678-9W, on animal experiments: inspections, for what reason there is a difference between the number of inspectors employed by the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010 reported in the answer and the number reported for these years in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual Report 2011.

Lynne Featherstone: The Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual Report 2011 shows the number of inspectors in post as at 31 December of each year. The numbers in my answer of 18 March 2011 are those for inspectors employed at any point in that year.

Sexual Offences

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which agency is responsible for meeting sex offenders at UK airports following their conviction abroad and deportation to the UK.

Lynne Featherstone: The management of registered sex offenders is an operational matter for the police.
	Where a sex offender who has committed a crime abroad returns to the UK the police are able to make an application to the court for a Notification Order, which will bring that offender within UK management.

Sexual Offences: Foreign Travel Orders

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many foreign travel orders of each duration have been issued to sex offenders convicted of sexual offences against children (a) in the UK and (b) abroad in each year since the Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force;
	(2)  how many foreign travel orders have been issued to sex offenders convicted of sexual offences against children (a) in the UK and (b) abroad in each year since the Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force.

Lynne Featherstone: Total number of foreign travel orders issued per year (and by duration) can be found in the following table.
	The Violent Sexual Offenders Register (ViSOR) database is a management tool and not designed as a statistical data tool. As such it has not been possible to differentiate between offences committed in the UK and those committed overseas.
	
		
			 Foreign travel orders issued by year and length/duration 
			 Number 
			  Calendar year 
			 Duration 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012(1) 
			 2 weeks — — — — — 1 1 — 
			 2 months — — — — — 2 1 — 
			 3 months — — — 1 — — 1 — 
			 4 months — — — — 1 2 — — 
			 6 months 1 3 — 1 8 4 — — 
			 10 months — — — 1 — — — — 
			 1 year — — — — 1 1 — — 
			 2 years — — — — — — — 1 
			 2 years, 6 months — — — — — — 1 — 
			 3 years — — — — 1 1 1 — 
			 5 years — — — — — 4 6 4 
			 6 years, 6 months — — — — 1 — — — 
			 Total 1 3 0 3 12 15 11 5 
			 (1) 2012 figures are for the four months from January to April.

Stun Guns

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 50-1WS, on firearms (England and Wales 2010-11), on how many occasions tasers were used as a proportion of (a) firearms operations and (b) operations involving Armed Response Vehicles by police forces since 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: This information is not collected centrally.

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures for success have been set for the contract with Serco to work on the UK Border Agency's Migration Refusal Pool.

Damian Green: Since January 2012, the UK Border Agency has worked with Serco who provided a service in the London and south east area to ascertain the cost and effectiveness of a new approach to identify and as necessary remove those refused extensions of leave.
	Serco was given 7,600 cases as a proof of concept ahead of a competitive tender and was not paid for this work.

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the tender was released for the hiring of a contractor to work on the UK Border Agency's Migration Refusal Pool.

Damian Green: An advert was published in 'Contracts Finder' on 30 March 2012 to procure contact management and caseworking services. The request for quote was issued on 20 April 2012.

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bidders there were for the contract to work on the UK Border Agency's Migration Refusal Pool.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is not able to provide specific details as this information is commercially sensitive.

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date Serco was appointed as the contractor to work on the UK Border Agency's Migration Refusal Pool.

Damian Green: Since January 2012, Serco has provided a free of charge service in the London and south east area to ascertain the cost and effectiveness of a new approach to the Migration Refusals Pool. The contract for providing this service on a permanent basis is still out to tender and an announcement will be made on this in due course.

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost is of the contract with Serco to work on the UK Border Agency's Migration Refusal Pool.

Damian Green: Serco has provided its services on the proof of concept exercise free of charge.

UK Border Agency: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency staff of each rank were employed at each location in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: For border security reasons the UK Border Agency can not provide a breakdown of staff numbers by location. Staff are deployed flexibly according to demand and may move between locations and across regions. However, I can confirm that total full-time equivalent permanent UK Border Agency (including Border Force) staffing numbers in Northern Ireland at the end of each of the last three financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 Senior Civil Service (1)0 (1)0 (1)0 
			 Grade 6 (1)0 (1)0 (1)0 
			 Grade 7 2 2 2 
			 HM Inspector's of Immigration (equivalent to SEO) 2 1 2 
			 Senior Executive Officers (SEO) 2 2 1 
			 Chief Immigration Officers (HEO) 6 9 9 
			 Higher Executive Officers (HEO) 6 8 8 
			 Executive Officers (EO) 5 4 6 
			 Immigration Officers (EO) 25.05 38.76 52.76 
			 Assistant Immigration Officers (AO) 7 8 7.61 
			 Administrative Officers (AO) 2 24 18 
			 Other — — — 
			 UK Border Agency total 57.05 96.76 106.37 
			 (1) Covered by Glasgow for UKBA and from Manchester for Border Force. Note: Part-time staff are reflected in decimal numbers.

UK Border Force

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when new UK Border Force uniforms will be issued to officers.

Damian Green: The new uniform design is currently undergoing staff consultation in both Border Force and the UK Border Agency before a final design is agreed. Any subsequent design will not be issued to staff until 2013.

Work Permits: Shipping

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether work permits are required in respect of the seafarers working onboard the Maltese-registered tug Herakles, contracted as an emergency towing vessel for the Western Isles.

Damian Green: Current border force instructions state that, under EU Regulation 3577/92, reviewed in 2003, work permit requirements are not to be applied in respect of the manning of a vessel that provides services of cabotage and is flagged elsewhere in the EU. This policy has been applied to vessels such as the Maltese registered tug Herakles and is kept under constant review.

Work Permits: Shipping

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has taken steps to use its powers under European Council Regulation 3577/92/EC to require all non-EEA seafarers working on vessels engaged in island cabotage exclusively within British waters to have work permits.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's operational instructions relating to the administration of controls in respect of non-EEA seamen are currently being reviewed. The revised instructions will specify that the work permit requirement applies to the non-EEA crew of EEA-flagged vessels engaged in island cabotage.

Yvonne Fletcher

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on progress in Libya to identify the killer of PC Yvonne Fletcher.

Nick Herbert: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has recently updated Home Office Ministers about the ongoing investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. The Government are pleased that the MPS is having discussions with the Libyan authorities about future co-operation in relation to this investigation. Helping the police to take forward this investigation remains a top priority for the Government in their relations with Libya and we will continue to offer the MPS whatever support we can.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband: Rural Areas

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress he has made on EU State Aid approval for BDUK spending on rural broadband schemes.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have had extensive discussions with the European Commission regarding the request for approval of an umbrella state aid notification for broadband projects including at senior level. The Department has provided the Commission with all the information that it has requested and it is considering its decision. The Secretary of State believes that recent discussions have resolved outstanding issues and he is optimistic about a positive outcome.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Edward Vaizey: The following table sets out the registered charities to which the Department has paid over £100,000 in any one year during the requested period:
	
		
			 £000 
			 Charity name 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Registered charities    
			 Arts Council England 452,164 437,523 392,877 
			 Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust 300 291 278 
			 Churches Conservation Trust 3,162 3,066 2,926 
			 Design Museum 425 437 328 
			 Geffrye Museum . 1,791 1,773 1,674 
			 Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College 1,500 1,455 1,388 
			 Horniman Museum 4,566 4,518 4,385 
			 Legacy Trust UK 10 725 — 
			 Media Trust 333 319 — 
			 Museum of Science and Industry Manchester 4,987 4,882 3,998 
			 Museum Libraries and Archives Council 4,022 15,218 12,229 
			 National Children's Bureau 131 475 — 
			 National Film and Television' School 2,848 2,881 2,791 
			 National Football Museum 105 105 — 
			 National Foundation for Youth Music 333 325 — 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 1,181 1,169 1,130 
			 South Bank Centre 166 — — 
			 The Jerwood Charity 350 250 — 
			 York Museums and Galleries Trust 345 — — 
			 The Princes Trust — — 298 
			 British Film Institute — — 3,589 
			 The Jewish Museum — 100 — 
			 Cutty Sark Trust 1,500 1,500 1,388 
			 Bletchley Park Trust 250 — — 
		
	
	We will probably also have made smaller payments to charities through Grant-in-Aid, specific grants and procuring services, but we do not record the status of every body we procure from and so the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

G4S

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) meetings and (b) communications he has had with G4S since 1 January 2012.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State visited the Venues Security Training Centre run by G4S at the Old Rokeby School in Stratford on 26 June 2012, to see for himself how the training operation at that centre was being undertaken. While there he spoke to senior G4S and London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) officials, training staff and those being trained for their London 2012 roles. He has had no other communications with G4S.

Maritime Heritage Foundation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many times he has met the Chairman of the Maritime Heritage Foundation; whether he discussed the HMS Victory 1744 site at any such meeting; and if he will publish the minutes of each such meeting since January 2010.

John Penrose: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport met with Lord Lingfield in July 2010 in his constituency surgery in his capacity as MP for South West Surrey. The HMS Victory 1744 was discussed; no commitments, formal or informal, were made.
	I have not met with the Chairman of the Maritime Heritage Foundation, but held one phone call with him on this issue in July 2011 in which, again, no commitments, formal or informal, were made.

Mobile Phones

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when he expects the roll out of 4G technology to commence;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost to the economy of a delay in rolling out 4G technology.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom remain on schedule for the auction process for the spectrum at 800 MHz and 2600 MHz to start by the end of 2012. This is compatible with the spectrum becoming available to allow successful bidders to start rolling out 4G services in these bands. 4G services could also be rolled out in 1800 MHz subject to the result of Everything Everywhere's application to liberalise its 1800 MHz licence.
	I have made no estimate of any cost associated with a delay in deploying 4G. Any consideration of the benefits to consumers of the introduction of 4G/Long Term Evolution services, including liberalisation of 1800 MHz or the impact of any delay to that introduction, would normally fall to Ofcom. The benefits to consumers and the effect of a delay to liberalisation were considered in Ofcom's March consultation on liberalising the 1800 MHz spectrum.

Mobile Phones

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the per unit cost will be of the filters needed to mitigate interference of digital terrestrial television signals by 4G services;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that those who have their digital terrestrial television signals interfered with by 4G services are aware of the support that the Government is offering them;
	(3)  if his Department will publish the methodology that led it to establish that 900,000 homes will have their digital terrestrial television signals directly affected by 4G services.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has written to Ofcom setting out the Government's position with regard to the mitigation of interference into the digital television service at 800 MHz and the support that will be offered to consumers. The text of the letter is available on our website at the following link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/9193.aspx
	Ofcom estimate that a standard household filter will cost around £10.
	The methodology by which Ofcom estimated the number of affected households is laid out in their recent consultation, “Second consultation on coexistence of new services in the 800 MHz band with digital terrestrial television”, which is available from the Ofcom website
	http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/second-coexistence-consultation/

Mobile Phones

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will give consideration to directing Ofcom to grant spectrum liberalisation and bring forward the spectrum auction.

Edward Vaizey: On 24 July, Ofcom published its statement on the auction of 4G spectrum licences. This is available from its website at:
	http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/award-800mhz-2.6ghz/statement/?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4g-auction-statement>
	Ofcom remain on schedule for the auction process for the spectrum at 800 MHz and 2,600 MHz, to start by the end of 2012. This is compatible with the spectrum becoming available to allow successful bidders to start rolling out 4G services in these bands.
	On 21 August, Ofcom announced that it has approved an application by the mobile phone operator Everything Everywhere (EE) to use its existing 1,800 MHz spectrum to deliver 4G services. In parallel with this decision, Ofcom has now issued varied licences to EE which authorise LTE services from 11 September 2012. This means that EE can launch LTE services using its 1,800 MHz spectrum at any point from that date, although the precise timing of any launch is a commercial decision for Everything Everywhere.

Mobile Phones

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the model used by Ofcom to determine interference levels caused by 4G to freeview services; and what consideration he has given to publishing the data.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has made no formal assessment of the model used by Ofcom to determine the interference potential of the new mobile telecommunications services in 800 MHz. Ofcom's analysis was included with their second consultation on co-existence of new services in the 800 MHz band with digital terrestrial television. This is still available to view on their website.

Olympic Games 2012

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which companies and other organisations have been suppliers and contractors to the London 2012 Olympics site by region and product.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has awarded more than £6.9 billion worth of Tier 1 contracts to 1,605 suppliers. 98% of these contracts were awarded to suppliers based in the UK, generating thousands more sub-contracts throughout the supply chain. The London games organisers (LOCOG) are a private sector organisation and have not published their suppliers list.
	ODA Tier 1 contracts split by region are listed in the following table, as of 3 July 2012. Please note, ODA data reflects the address to which remittances are paid.
	
		
			 Region Total contracts (£) Number of suppliers 
			 West midlands 463,506,357 64 
			 East of England 915,654,643 145 
			 East midlands 274,667,022 44 
			 London 3,836,279,773 799 
			 Northern Ireland 20,896,676 5 
			 North-east 20,001,500 25 
			 North-west 117,660,093 64 
			 Scotland 33,067,704 30 
			 South-east 1,066,524,980 258 
			 South-west 18,268,531 69 
			 Wales 4,555,736 (1)18 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 89,769,652 47 
			 Overseas 57,786,966 37 
			 Total 6,918,639,634 1,605 
			 (1 )The figure for Wales is boosted due to several large contracts with Government Departments who have carried out work on the ODA's behalf, and who process payments through service centres in Wales. 
		
	
	A number of contractors have supplied a significant number and range of products or services from multiple sites which the ODA are unable to list without looking into each individual contract. A full list of ODA Tier 1 contractors will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, with the exception of suppliers who are individuals and cannot be named. The ODA does not hold comprehensive information on Tier 2 and lower-level contractors, since these companies do not have a direct relationship with the ODA.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much was given by each (a) worldwide Olympic partner, (b) London 2012 Olympic partner and (c) London 2012 provider and supplier towards the cost of organising the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much was given by (a) Coca Cola, (b) Acer, (c) Atos, (d) Dow, (e) GE, (f) McDonald's, (g) Omega, (h) Panasonic, (i) P&G, (j) Samsung and (k) Visa towards the cost of organising the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how much was given by (a) Adidas, (b) BMW, (c) BP, (d) British Airways, (e) BT, (f) EDF and (g) Lloyds TSB towards the cost of organising the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how much funding was provided by (a) Aggreko, (b) Airwave, (c) Atkins, (d) The Boston, (e) Consulting Group, (f) CBS Outdoor, (g) Crystal CG, (h) Eurostar, (i) Freshfields, (j) Ruckhaus Deringer LLP, (k) G4S, (l) GlaxoSmithKline, (m) Gymnova, (n) Heathrow Airport, (o) Heineken UK, (p) Holiday Inn, (q) John Lewis, (r) McCann Worldgroup, (s) Mondo, (t) Nature Valley, (u) Next, (v) Nielsen and (w) Populous towards the cost of organising the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Raising sponsorship to contribute towards the costs of staging the games is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG must raise its revenues through sponsorship, ticketing, media rights and merchandise. Together with contributions from the International Olympic Committee's global sponsors, over £1 billion of private sector sponsorship has been raised and will fund around half of LOCOG's total budget.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what guidance his Department has issued on the promotion of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to (a) worldwide olympic partners, (b) London 2012 Olympic partners and (c) London 2012 providers and suppliers; if he will place in the Library copies of any such guidance; whether he has received reports of complaints about alleged misuse of any such guidance since June 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Department does not issue marketing and promotional guidance to major sporting or cultural events, although some marketing activities may come within the codes of practice overseen by the Advertising Standards Agency. The promotional activities undertaken by Olympic and Paralympic games partners, providers and suppliers is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what date each (a) worldwide Olympic partner, (b) London 2012 Olympic partner and (c) London 2012 provider and supplier was appointed; how many applied to be appointed in each group; how many were shortlisted; how each was appraised; who made the final decision about the appointment of each; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Domestic sponsorship is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government. Since the launch of their commercial programme in 2006, LOCOG has generated more than £700 million in domestic sponsorship revenues. Through its ‘The Olympic Partner’ (TOP) programme, the International Olympic Committee appoints global sponsors for a period of time that normally includes a number of future games.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what date Ticketmaster was appointed as a provider and supplier to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; what process was followed in its appointment; where this was advertised; how many companies applied; how many companies were shortlisted; how each was appraised; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Procurement of its Ticketing Services Provider is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG); a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG appointed Ticketmaster in July 2009 after an open tender.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what reports he has received of the amount paid for tickets for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by (a) worldwide Olympic partners, (b) London 2012 Olympic partners and (c) London 2012 providers and suppliers; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ticketing is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG must raise its revenues to stage the games through sponsorship, ticketing, media rights and merchandise. A total of 11 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets are being made available, for London's games, of which 75% are for purchase by the UK public, and 12% for purchase by National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, primarily for international sports fans. The remainder are for purchase by sponsors, stakeholders, International Sports Federations, Prestige Hospitality Providers and Thomas Cook.
	Sponsors have the right to purchase a small number of tickets, across a range of prices and sports, at face value. Many sponsors have distributed their tickets in promotions to the UK public, their staff, customers and community groups.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) on the role played by each London 2012 partner; what response was received by LOCOG; what recent representations he has received about the role played by each company; if he will place in the Library a copy of his response in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Regular and frequent discussions have been held between the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) and this Department, in order to ensure the successful delivery of the games. This has included discussions with key LOCOG suppliers in relation to the completion of actions and milestones critical to the delivery of the games. The wider relationships between LOCOG and its sponsors, is a matter for LOCOG, which is a private company operating independently of Government.

Olympic Games 2012

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games for what reasons The Voice newspaper was not given accreditation for the Olympic Park Media Centre; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: National Olympic Committees are responsible for allocating accreditation to Olympic venues for media based in their countries. The British Olympic Association (BOA) is responsible for allocating Olympic accreditation to UK media, not the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games. The Secretary of State has no plans to discuss accreditation for specific newspapers with the BOA.

Olympic Games 2012

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will encourage the British Olympic Association to ensure that an official photograph is taken of the entire (a) Olympic and (b) Paralympic Team GB teams at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Hugh Robertson: The British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association (BPA) are independent of Government. However, we are aware that both the BOA and BPA intend to produce an official photograph of the Olympic and Paralympic teams selected for London 2012.

Olympic Games 2012

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department plans to spend on hospitality during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Hugh Robertson: This Department will publish details including a list of all those in receipt of Government's tickets and hospitality in the autumn.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on (i) the role played by and (ii) the number of tickets allocated to (A) Aggreko, (B) Airwave, (C) Atkins, (D) the Boston Consulting Group, (E) CBS Outdoor, (F) Crystal CG, (G) Eurostar, (H) Freshfields, (I) Ruckhaus Deringer LLP, (J) G4S, (K) GlaxoSmithKline, (L) Gymnova, (M) Heathrow Airport, (N) Heineken UK, (O) Holiday Inn, (P) John Lewis, (Q) McCann Worldgroup, (R) Mondo, (S) Nature Valley, (T) Next, (U) Nielsen and (V) Populous; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) Aggreko, (b) Airwave, (c) Atkins, (d) The Boston Consulting Group, (e) CBS Outdoor, (f) Crystal CG, (g) Eurostar, (h) Freshfields, (i) Ruckhaus Deringer LLP, (j) G4S, (k) GlaxoSmithKline, (l) Gymnova, (m) Heathrow Airport, (n) Heineken UK, (o) Holiday Inn, (p) John Lewis, (q) McCann Worldgroup, (r) Mondo, (s) Nature Valley, (t) Next, (u) Nielsen and (v) Populous on the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ticketing is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG must raise its revenues to stage the games through sponsorship, ticketing, media rights and merchandise. A total of 11 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets are being made available for London's Games, of which 75% are for purchase by the UK public, and 12% for purchase by National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, primarily for international sports fans. The remainder are for purchase by sponsors, stakeholders, international Sports Federations, Prestige Hospitality Providers and Thomas Cook. Sponsors have the right to purchase a small number of tickets, across a range of prices and sports, at face value. Many sponsors have distributed their tickets in promotions to the UK public, their staff, customers and community groups.
	Regular and frequent discussions have been held between LOCOG and this Department in order to ensure the successful delivery of the games. This has included discussions regarding key LOCOG suppliers in relation to the completion of actions and milestones critical to the delivery of the games. The wider relationships between LOCOG and its sponsors is a matter for LOCOG.

Olympic Games 2012

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what information the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games has provided to his Department on ticketing arrangements for the London 2012 Olympics for (a) Worldwide Olympic partners, (b) London 2012 Olympic partners and (c) London 2012 providers and suppliers; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what information his Department holds on the number of tickets allocated to sponsors of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games that have been passed by the sponsors to (a) amateur sports clubs and (b) charities; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ticketing is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government. A total of 11 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets were available for London's games. Regular discussions have been held between LOCOG and this Department, where LOCOG has kept us informed throughout the development and implementation of their plans on ticketing.
	LOCOG has promised to provide a comprehensive break-down of ticket distribution after sales have been completed. This Department does not hold information on the number of tickets passed by sponsors to other groups.

Olympic Games 2012: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to raise participation in events connected with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in (a) Southend and (b) Essex; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) established the Nations and Regions Group to ensure UK-wide engagement and to maximise the legacy from London 2012. A sustained programme of proactive marketing and communications activities has generated high levels of interest and engagement in London 2012-related activities across Essex.
	This can be seen through 90% of Essex schools (574) being registered for the Get Set network, with 63 from Southend. Also, six Essex schools were selected to form the Guard of Honour, lining the route as the athletes made their way through the Olympic Park. 44 Inspire Mark Projects have been running across the country, from Active Plus Games, focusing on activities for older generations, to the Essex Ambassadors volunteering programme, a 300-strong corps of all ages who provided the welcoming face of Essex at Stansted airport and key locations across the county at Games Time. A wide variety of sports and well-being initiatives—from Urban Games to Mini Games have been introduced and sustained across the county. Essex county council's Olympic and Paralympic art commission, Journey to the Podium, was selected: to be on display in Westminster Hall in August as part of the innovative Arts in Parliament programme.
	Almost half a million people turned out to witness the Olympic Torch making its way across the county, with 80,000 people turning out in Southend, and the 'Sparks will Fly' cultural celebration attracted audiences of 15,000 in Chelmsford. In hosting the Olympic Mountain Bike competition at Hadleigh Farm a range of cycling initiatives has been introduced across the county—from 'Mud Sweat and Gears' for serious cyclists to 'Bicycle Ballet' a performing arts installation, with training hosted at the Hadleigh Old Fire Station, purchased by the county council and its partner Castle Point borough council to provide a community hub in the host borough. In addition, over 300 Compete For Contracts to provide goods and services for the Games were awarded to companies in Essex.
	As part of the UK's bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games we promised to inspire a new generation to play sport. Through Places, People, Play, £135 million has already been committed to support community sport facilities and activity. Many sports clubs in Essex have already been allocated funding through the 'Inspired Facilities' strand, of this programme. Also, over the next four years the new Youth Sport Strategy will invest at least £1 billion of Lottery and Exchequer funding to help ensure young people across England are regularly taking part in sport.

Public Libraries

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's minded to letter of 14 February 2012, when he expects to make the decision on whether to intervene by way of a local inquiry into Brent council's library plans; and how many substantive representations he has received on his Department's minded to decision;
	(2)  whether he plans to intervene in respect of the library plans of (a) Gloucestershire county council, (b) Somerset county council, (c) Isle of Wight council, (d) Lewisham council, (e) Doncaster council, (f) Bolton council and (h) other library authorities.

Edward Vaizey: Since issuing the ‘minded to’ letter of 14 February 2012 to Brent council, the Department has received a formal shared response on behalf of several local Brent groups, and around 60 other items of correspondence from Brent residents. The matter remains under consideration.
	On 3 September 2012, I issued letters to the Isle of Wight council, Lewisham council and Bolton council, setting out that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is not minded to intervene by way of a local inquiry into their library services.
	Copies of the letters to the local authorities are available on the website of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/libraries/3416.aspx
	and will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 33W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport commissions and publishes circulars, consultation documents and publications relevant to its sectors. The accounting system does not record the information in the manner requested. This information could be provided from the records kept only at disproportionate cost.

Royal Archives

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what financial support his Department gave to the Royal Archives in each of the last three years.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not given funding specifically for the Royal Archives during the last three years; however, it has provided financial support to the Royal Household's Property Services.
	The funding provided during this period is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount paid (£ million) 
			 2009-10 16.107 
			 2010-11 15.624 
			 2011-12 15.414 
		
	
	This financial support includes provision for: Royal communications and information; property maintenance and utilities for the occupied royal palaces; and, security and essential work at Marlborough house.

Tourism: East Midlands

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps (a) Visit Britain and (b) Visit England is taking to promote tourism in (i) the East Midlands, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) Ashfield.

John Penrose: VisitBritain promotes the east midlands overseas through activities such as the Government's GREAT Britain image campaign, its “GREAT Britain You're Invited” £122 million campaign encourages travel to Britain by offering deals in 21 priority markets. Easyjet, Hilton and Expedia, have promoted offers for the midlands as part of the campaign. VisitBritain plan to continue to work with these partners post- London 2012 games.
	In the last financial year, VisitBritain's press and PR team helped generate coverage of the east midlands worth over £50 million. In 2010 VisitBritain partnered with Universal Pictures and Experience Nottingham around the release of the Robin Hood film, to market Nottingham and the east midlands to a global audience. Outcomes of this partnership included an extensive PR campaign, reaching 118 million people in 32 countries.
	VisitEngland is working closely with local areas and destinations across the country, including the east midlands, in line with Government's localism agenda, on a campaign to grow the value of local tourism economies. This is co-ordinated through the National Strategic Framework for Tourism (2010 to 2020), which includes an action programme developed in consultation with the tourism sector. In addition, the Regional Growth Fund Project, “Growing Tourism Locally”, managed and coordinated by VisitEngland, aims to stimulate increased visitor spend across all regions.
	VisitBritain and VisitEngland are maximising the economic legacy of London 2012 to showcase the whole nation. VisitBritain has met with rights holding broadcasters worldwide and developed content packages, including the provision of pan-Britain content from the BBC and created a Torch Relay app promoting areas, such as Nottingham, that the Torch visits. In March, VisitEngland launched a new domestic tourism campaign aimed at boosting tourism throughout the UK. The campaign is expected to deliver £500 million in extra visitor spend over four years and includes an invitation to the industry to join up in a 20.12% discount or special offer incentive for consumers. The campaign has resulted in over 3,000 offers and the vast majority of these are outside London. The campaign has been reinforced by digital media and social networking including the “Fan in a Van” tour, currently under way.

Tourism: South East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to promote tourism in (a) South East Essex and (b) Southend West constituency; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: In March, VisitEngland launched a new marketing campaign aimed at boosting domestic tourism, maximising the economic legacy of the games for the whole country and making the most of the Torch Relay and the Cultural Olympiad. The campaign is expected to deliver £500 million in extra visitor spend over four years. This promotion includes an invitation to the industry to join up in a 20.12% special offer incentive for consumers. The 20.12 campaign has resulted in over 3,000 offers driven through the consumer-facing website and the vast majority of these are outside London. This will build on the well reported “staycation” effect and will deliver benefit in the long-term.
	In addition, VisitBritain is investing in a major international promotional campaign in key overseas markets; over the next four years, this is expected to deliver 4.6 million extra visitors, £2.27 billion in extra visitor spend and over 50,000 job opportunities across the whole nation. The programme is backed by a £125 million investment over four years, including £55 million raised from the private sector. This campaign will take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity afforded by the unique events of 2012 to maximise the industry's potential and ensure that we create a sustained legacy for tourism. Destinations all over the UK, including Southend West and South East Essex, stand to benefit from these initiatives.

Tourism: Weather

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will have discussions with the (a) BBC and (b) Meteorological Office on the importance of accurate reporting of local and regional weather to tourism.

John Penrose: In 2011, VisitEngland contributed to a national consultation exercise on the work of the Meteorological Office. The Meteorological Office is increasingly providing more targeted local services, so that good weather on (for example) one side of the Pennines isn't lumped into a wider overall forecast for rain on the other side. On its website it has increased the number of locations for which it provides forecasts from around 350 to 5000. Amongst these locations are a wide range of tourist attractions, beaches, youth hostels and resorts. In addition, to improve access to its forecasts, the Meteorological Office has launched new channels, such as iPhone and android applications, as well as the weather widget which allows their weather forecasts to be displayed on other websites.

Wrecks: Salvage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on ensuring that archaeological best practice and heritage policy are followed during the salvaging of HMS Victory 1744 and other historic vessels.

John Penrose: holding answer 17 July 2012
	We have ensured that the HMS Victory wreck site will be managed in accordance with the archaeological principles set out in the Annex to the UNESCO Convention on the protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, and the Museum Code of Ethics will be applied to any artefacts that are recovered.
	No work on the site can be undertaken without prior approval of the Secretary of State for Defence, who is in turn advised by the independent Advisory Group, which includes representation from English Heritage and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
	These arrangements have been put in place through official meetings with ministerial agreement.

HEALTH

Abortion

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 664W, on abortion, how many of the incomplete HSA4 forms did not record the (a) gestational age of the foetus and (b) reason for the abortion.

Anne Milton: The medical practitioner performing the abortion is required to sign form HSA4 and submit details of the termination to the chief medical officer. Included in the information is the gestation at which the termination takes place and the grounds on which it is carried out in accordance with the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended).
	The following table shows the total of missing data on the HSA4 form for the years 2007 to 2011 in relation to gestational age and grounds for the termination:
	
		
			 Missing HSA4 data for gestational as at June 2012 
			  Gestation Grounds 
			 2007 0 31 
			 2008 15 22 
			 2009 10 15 
			 2010 11 14 
			 2011 0 18 
			 Totals 36 100 
			 Note: Totals relate to the number of errors not the number of forms.

Abortion

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the names are of the licensed clinics that provided incomplete HSA4 forms in (a) 2011, (b) 2010, (c) 2009 and (d) 2008; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what (a) procedures and (b) policies are used by (i) his Department and (ii) the Care Quality Commission to investigate incomplete HSA4 forms.

Anne Milton: The Department has a duty under the Abortion Act 1967 to monitor notifications of termination of pregnancy (HSA4 forms) submitted to the chief medical officer for England. Any form with missing or invalid data is returned to the service provider until all the necessary information is received and validated.
	The Department does not hold information by year on the number of clinics that have HSA4 forms returned. A list of clinics that have had HSA4 forms returned over the past four years (2008 to 2011 inclusive) is set out in the table. This has been placed in the Library.
	The Department publishes a range of guidance on the completion of abortions forms including HSA4 forms. There is a thorough process for recording and monitoring information received on abortion notification forms HSA4. Checks on the forms assist in monitoring of the Abortion Act and National Statistics are produced from the data received.
	A copy of the guidance documents “Guidance note for completing the abortion notification form HSA4 for abortions performed in England and Wales: paper form” and “Summary guidance note for completing the abortion notification form HSA4 for abortions performed in England and Wales: electronic form” have been placed in the Library.
	The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is a statutory regulatory body and has powers to investigate where complaints are made about the fitness of professionals to practice or of regulatory malpractice. The CQC is not responsible for monitoring HSA4 forms.

Alcoholic Drinks: Children

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1026W, on alcoholic drinks: children, how many children between the ages of (a) 12 and 14, (b) 14 and 16 and (c) 16 and 18 in each unitary and county local authority area were receiving treatment for alcohol dependency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The following table contains the figures for under-18s in each local authority area who access substance misuse services saying that alcohol is the main substance they have a problem with. It is not possible to say whether these young people are being treated for alcohol dependency because dependency is a clinical term, the extent of which depends on an assessment by a healthcare professional.
	Young people's treatment needs differ from those of adults. Very few young people develop dependency. Those who use drugs or alcohol problematically are likely to be vulnerable and experiencing a range of problems, of which substance misuse is one.
	The majority of young people accessing specialist alcohol interventions require dependency. Most young people need to be involved with specialist alcohol interventions for a short period of time, often weeks, before continuing with further support elsewhere, within an integrated young people's care plan.
	The figures are for each local drug and alcohol partnership in England. These have the same boundaries as unitary and county local authorities apart from three areas, which are Bedfordshire, Cheshire, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, each of which contain two local authorities.
	Numbers of young people in treatment for primary alcohol use varies between different local authority areas across the country. This may be partly explained by regional variations in the prevalence of alcohol use among young people, or differences in the way that young people's substance misuse services are configured in different areas (e.g. some areas may have more focus on meeting need through targeted services providing brief alcohol interventions for young people with less specialist need, and data on this are not collected through the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System).
	
		
			 Figures for under-18s in each local authority area who access substance misuse services saying that alcohol is the main substance they have a problem with 
			 Number 
			 Partnership 12 to 13 14 to 15 16 to 17 
			 Darlington 5 37 34 
			 County Durham 15 42 62 
			 Hartlepool 5 28 31 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 6 13 11 
		
	
	
		
			 Middlesbrough * 10 8 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 0 10 9 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne * 28 45 
			 North Tyneside * 17 26 
			 Gateshead * 12 * 
			 Northumberland 12 30 30 
			 South Tyneside 5 19 23 
			 Sunderland 6 20 41 
			 Salford * 17 23 
			 Trafford 0 * 11 
			 Blackburn with Darwen * 13 24 
			 Blackpool 6 32 27 
			 Lancashire 31 142 128 
			 Wirral 5 25 26 
			 Warrington * 10 17 
			 Halton * 7 16 
			 Rochdale 7 50 48 
			 St Helens 9 25 42 
			 Knowsley 14 32 20 
			 Tameside * 16 18 
			 Oldham 8 26 30 
			 Bolton 7 42 21 
			 Bury * 32 30 
			 Cumbria 11 33 35 
			 Liverpool 21 71 66 
			 Manchester 9 19 21 
			 Sefton 5 19 17 
			 Cheshire * 30 51 
			 Stockport 9 37 21 
			 Wigan * 15 18 
			 Kingston upon Hull * 15 45 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 5 22 43 
			 Calderdale * 11 14 
			 Kirklees * 14 24 
			 North Yorkshire 12 51 91 
			 York * * 13 
			 North Lincolnshire * 7 9 
			 North East Lincolnshire * 11 24 
			 Barnsley * 14 15 
			 Wakefield * 7 7 
			 Sheffield * 17 16 
			 Leeds 0 5 14 
			 Bradford * 27 28 
			 Doncaster 5 27 19 
			 Rotherham 6 26 28 
			 Leicestershire * 22 21 
			 Leicester * 9 21 
			 Rutland 0 * * 
			 Derbyshire * 14 25 
			 Derby * 37 40 
			 Nottinghamshire 22 72 156 
			 Nottingham 8 19 29 
			 Lincolnshire * 31 43 
			 Northamptonshire * 14 22 
			 Shropshire * 14 25 
			 Telford and Wrekin 0 * 12 
			 Staffordshire 18 62 46 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 11 39 20 
		
	
	
		
			 Birmingham * 30 53 
			 Coventry 0 6 28 
			 Dudley * 17 42 
			 Herefordshire 6 25 20 
			 Sandwell 12 19 25 
			 Solihull * 5 5 
			 Walsall 15 56 55 
			 Warwickshire * 12 22 
			 Wolverhampton * 13 20 
			 Worcestershire * 16 14 
			 Bedfordshire * 10 12 
			 Luton 0 8 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 11 39 54 
			 Peterborough 8 36 29 
			 Essex 6 27 46 
			 Southend-on-Sea * 19 24 
			 Thurrock * 6 11 
			 Hertfordshire 0 5 20 
			 Norfolk * 50 40 
			 Suffolk * 33 37 
			 Barking and Dagenham 15 41 48 
			 Havering * * 7 
			 Camden * 10 27 
			 Islington * 12 15 
			 Hackney * * 7 
			 Lambeth * 0 15 
			 Lewisham 9 10 14 
			 Southwark 0 5 8 
			 Redbridge * 10 8 
			 Waltham Forest * 5 9 
			 Barnet * 7 * 
			 Bexley 0 6 * 
			 Brent 0 * 10 
			 Bromley 10 35 28 
			 Croydon * 5 12 
			 Ealing * 19 12 
			 Enfield * 5 * 
			 Greenwich * 6 21 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 * * 
			 Haringey 0 7 18 
			 Kensington and Chelsea * 5 7 
			 Kingston upon Thames * 7 20 
			 Merton * 12 7 
			 Newham 0 * * 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 8 9 
			 Sutton 5 27 23 
			 Tower Hamlets 7 38 25 
			 Wandsworth 10 24 13 
			 Westminster 10 20 10 
			 Harrow * 24 19 
			 Hillingdon * * 9 
			 Hounslow * 5 12 
			 Bracknell Forest 5 11 11 
			 Reading 0 * 9 
			 Slough 0 0 5 
			 West Berkshire * * 7 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead * 6 7 
			 Wokingham 0 8 5 
		
	
	
		
			 Buckinghamshire * 22 29 
			 Milton Keynes * * 7 
			 Oxfordshire * 5 18 
			 Brighton and Hove 7 18 38 
			 East Sussex 33 112 88 
			 West Sussex * * 6 
			 Kent * 46 67 
			 Medway Towns * 6 8 
			 Hampshire * 26 56 
			 Portsmouth 0 5 8 
			 Southampton * 23 18 
			 Isle of Wight 6 35 24 
			 Surrey * 28 33 
			 Bath and North East Somerset * 8 11 
			 Bristol * 30 50 
			 South Gloucestershire * 5 * 
			 North Somerset 0 * 7 
			 Dorset * 22 29 
			 Bournemouth * 13 22 
			 Poole 6 16 15 
			 Devon * 31 43 
			 Plymouth 0 21 33 
			 Torbay 0 11 18 
			 Swindon 0 * 11 
			 Wiltshire * 11 15 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 5 8 19 
			 Gloucestershire 5 10 33 
			 Somerset 0 5 9 
			 * All numbers under five have been suppressed to protect clients identification. Where totals could be derived, figures have been rounded to the nearest five and marked with an asterisk. Note: Within these statistics, a young person's age is determined when they first start treatment or if they are already in treatment, at start of the year. Source: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System.

Anorexia: Children

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce levels of childhood anorexia.

Paul Burstow: Hospital admission rates for anorexia are falling. However, this is one part of a complex picture and there is no room for complacency about this distressing condition. The Department is funding the ‘Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' project, which is transforming child and adolescent mental health services, providing training for staff in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved best evidence-based therapies and embedding intensive, session by session outcome monitoring to make sure children and young people have improved access to the best possible psychological therapies in a way they find acceptable and relevant.
	In year one 2011-12, the therapies offered were cognitive behavioural therapy and parenting programmes for three to 10-year-olds. In 2012-13, as part of the additional investment of £22 million over the next three years announced in February 2012, the geographical reach of the project will be extended and two further therapies added: systemic family therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy. Together these will help support children, young people and their families and address some of the major mental health problems of adolescence including eating disorders. We are also developing a suite of interactive e-learning programmes to extend the skills and knowledge of all staff working with children and young people, including health professionals, teachers, social workers and others to help them understand and recognise emotional and mental health problems and offer early and effective interventions.
	We also welcome the work of the Government Equalities Office's Body Image campaign, which seeks to raise awareness about body image and ensure that young people have healthier and happier futures regardless of their physical appearance.

Antidepressants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for antidepressants were issued (a) in the community and (b) in hospitals in each year since 2001.

Simon Burns: In terms of prescribing in primary care, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 June 2012, Official Report, columns 118-119W.
	Information is not held centrally, for secondary care, in the format requested. The following table provides the volume, by number of packs, for antidepressant medicines, classified by the World Health Organisation's Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system, used in secondary care, in England, for each available year since 2001.
	
		
			 Antidepressant medicines used in secondary care, in England, as classified by ATC classification code N06A0 antidepressants and mood stabilisers 
			  Number of packs (thousand) 
			 2001 1,318.2 
			 2002 1,441.8 
			 2003 1,521.7 
			 2004 1,508.5 
			 2005 1,441.6 
			 2006 1,367.0 
			 2007 1,319.8 
			 2008 1,329.2 
			 2009 1,357.5 
			 2010 1,359.7 
			 2011 1,315.7 
			 Source: IMS Health: Hospital Pharmacy Audit

Asbestos: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the Committee on Carcinogenicity's findings on children's vulnerability to asbestos; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Education.
	The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment publishes its advice on its website:
	http://www.iacoc.org.uk/
	I am informed that the Committee plans to consider a first draft of its statement on the comparative vulnerability of children to asbestos at its next meeting in November.

Asbestos: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the Committee on Carcinogenicity's findings on children's vulnerability to asbestos; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Secretary of State has not held any discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the Committee on Carcinogenicity's findings on children's vulnerability to asbestos. The Committee has not yet published any findings.

Brain: Injuries

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum's publication entitled, “Life after Brain Injury—A Way Forward”.

Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care Act (2012) sets out a range of reforms that will improve outcomes and ensure improved access to services. It will also create more local accountability for services for neurological conditions, including those for people with an acquired brain injury. The Department has made no specific assessment.

Brain: Injuries

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are currently in place within the NHS for the commissioning of specialist brain injury rehabilitation.

Paul Burstow: Specialised rehabilitation services for brain injury and complex disability for all ages form part of the Specialised Services National Definitions set.
	Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), the NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB) will have responsibility for the direct commissioning of a number of services including those specialised services that are currently commissioned on a national or regional basis.
	Work is currently in hand to determine the list of services. No final decisions have yet been made on which services the NHSCB will directly commission from April 2013. Ministers expect to be in a position to set out an initial list in the summer. This will then be subject to consultation with the NHSCB, prior to setting out in regulations.

Brain: Injuries

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place within the NHS to record data on acquired brain injuries.

Paul Burstow: Health care providers collect administrative and clinical information locally to support the care of patients, including those with acquired brain injury. These data are submitted at regular intervals to the Secondary Uses Services (SUS), which supports health care planning, commissioning, public health and national policy development. The data currently managed within SUS are derived from commissioning datasets, which providers of national health service care must submit and make available to commissioners. They are also added to the Health Episode Statistics data warehouse.

Brain: Injuries

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations on the treatment of acquired brain injuries.

Paul Burstow: The Department has received a variety of representations from Members of Parliament and other interested parties on the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum's publication, “Life after Brain Injury—A Way Forward”.

Breast Cancer

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years were diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Paul Burstow: This information cannot be provided in the format requested. During 2011-12, we piloted the collection of metastatic and recurrent breast cancer data to identify what information could be collated from routine national health service data and cancer registries. In March 2012, the report ‘Recurrent and Metastatic Breast Cancer Data Collection Project Pilot’ was published. This set out the lessons learned and recommendations for routine collection of data, which is currently under way. A copy of the report has already been placed in the Library.
	As we progress with the collection of metastatic and recurrent breast cancer data, we will consider how to make this information routinely available in the future.

Breast Cancer

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the National Breast Cancer Audit will audit (a) patient access to clinical nurse specialists and (b) personalised information provision, including written follow-up care plans;
	(2)  whether the National Breast Cancer Audit will audit whether patients have their treatment and care discussed by a multidisciplinary team.

Paul Burstow: The design of the National Breast Cancer Audit will be considered at a specification meeting hosted by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and chaired by the Department later this year. Interested stakeholders, including patient group representatives, will be invited to the meeting to contribute to the design of the audit. Minutes from this meeting will be published on the HQIP website. Following this meeting, HQIP will invite tender returns for the delivery of this national audit.

Breast Cancer

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will take steps to ensure that all women with secondary breast cancer have access to a clinical nurse specialist;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of breast cancer patients are offered (a) a written follow-up care plan, (b) a named individual to contact and (c) other personalised information and support in each year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of secondary breast cancer patients were given access to a clinical nurse specialist in each year for which figures are available;
	(4)  whether data on patients with (a) secondary breast cancer and (b) recurrence of breast cancer will be separately identifiable as part of the 2011-12 National Cancer Patient Experience survey.

Paul Burstow: Information concerning the number of women with secondary breast cancer who are given access to a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and the number and proportion of breast cancer patients who are offered a written follow-up care plan, a named individual to contact and other personalised information and support is not collected.
	However, ‘The National Report of the 2010 Cancer Patient Experience Survey’, published in December 2010, included a series of questions about CNSs, written information and provision of support. The views of over 67,000 cancer patients were included in the survey results, of which 14,264 had breast cancer. Patients with secondary breast cancer are included in this figure, but are not identified.
	Set out in the following table are the responses of patients with breast cancer to questions concerning CNSs, written information and support, presented alongside the results for all cancers.
	
		
			 Questions Breast cancer (%) All cancer (%) 
			 Given the name of a CNS 93 84 
			 Given clear written information given about what to do or not do after leaving hospital (in-patient care) 89 82 
			 Given the right amount of information about condition and treatment 89 88 
			 Hospital staff provided information about support and self-help groups 86 79 
			 Definitely given enough emotional support while being treated as an out-patient 69 71 
		
	
	Datasets for the 2010 National Cancer Patient Experience Survey and the forthcoming 2010-11 survey are based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes. C50 covers all malignant neoplasms of the breast, so patients with secondary or recurrent breast cancer cannot be identified separately.
	The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative pilot Patient Reported Outcomes Measures survey of cancer survivors in 2011 asked breast cancer patients how their cancer responded to treatment. One of the possible responses to this question was ‘My breast cancer has come back after it was originally treated’, so these women will be separately identifiable. Results of the pilot are expected to be published in the autumn.
	We know that cancer patients greatly value the care and support of CNSs. To support the national health service to develop the CNS work force, ‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’ sets out our intention to build the evidence base for the benefits and costs savings that CNSs can offer. This follows an independent report we published in December 2010 that showed that, in many scenarios, the costs of additional support roles are likely to be outweighed by the savings that can be achieved.

Breast Cancer

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect access to a multidisciplinary team has on outcomes for women with secondary breast cancer;
	(2)  if he will estimate how many and what proportion of breast cancer patients have had their treatment and care discussed by a multidisciplinary team in each year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what arrangements he has put in place to ensure urgent clinical review of patients with suspected breast cancer recurrence or metastasis.

Paul Burstow: Information concerning the number of women with breast cancer who have their care co-ordinated by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) is not collected.
	“Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer”, published by the Department in 1996 and updated by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2002, sets out best practice evidence based guidance on the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of women with breast cancer, including those with secondary breast cancer. One of its four key recommendations is that women should be treated by an MDT. The guidance is complimented by “Breast cancer (early and locally advanced)” and “Breast cancer (advanced)” published by NICE in 2009, which also make recommendations on the involvement of MDTs on the care of women with breast cancer.
	To support urgent clinical review of patients with suspected breast cancer recurrence or metastasis, both the “Improving Outcomes and Early and Locally Advanced” guidance make recommendations on routine follow-up and monitoring to assess patient health and to check for recurrence. The second specifically recommends that patients treated for breast cancer should have an agreed, written care plan, recorded by a named healthcare professional. A copy of this should be provided to both the patient and their general practitioner. This plan should give the name of a designated healthcare professional(s); dates for review of any adjuvant therapy; details of surveillance mammography; signs and symptoms to look for and seek advice on; contact details for immediate referral to specialist care; and contact details for support services.

Cancer

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what data on the patient experience of breast cancer will be provided by the Survivorship Patient-Reported Outcome Measures survey pilot carried out by the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative;
	(2)  when data will be published from the Survivorship Patient-Reported Outcome Measures survey pilot carried out by the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative;
	(3)  when his Department plans to publish (a) the national report and (b) trust level reports from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: The fieldwork for the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011-12 is finished. National and trust level reports are expected to be published later this summer. The reports will provide a breakdown of the experience of cancer patients across a number of stages in the cancer care pathway and will include analysis of improvement levels since the 2010-11 survey. The trust level reports will provide benchmarked data nationally and between teams so that priority improvement areas can be identified.
	The National Cancer Survivor Initiative has conducted a pilot Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) survey of around 5,000 people who have had a diagnosis of either breast, prostate or colorectal cancer or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
	The survey focused on health related quality of life outcomes and covers issues such as physical symptoms; mobility; independence; work; finance; mental health; family relationships; emotional needs; and social concerns. We will publish a full analysis of the results by autumn 2012 and plans to roll out the PROMs survey nationally are being developed.

Cancer

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the availability of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved treatments for (a) lung, (b) bowel and (c) breast cancer in Surrey Primary Care Trust;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of variations in access to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved treatments for (a) lung, (b) bowel and (c) breast cancer in England; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We have made no assessment of the availability of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved treatments for lung, bowel and breast cancer at a national or at primary care trust (PCT) level.
	PCTs are legally obliged to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of guidance being published, unless the requirement is waived in a specific case.

Cancer: Drugs

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have received the drug dasatinib on the Cancer Drugs Fund since the fund was created in 2010.

Paul Burstow: Under the interim cancer drugs funding arrangements in 2010-11 (from October 2010 to the end of February 2011), five patients received dasatinib. Patient numbers by drug for March 2011 are not available.
	Based on the latest available information, a further 56 patients have received dasatinib under the Cancer Drugs Fund (from April 2011 to the end of February 2012).

Cancer: Drugs

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on money assigned to each Strategic Health Authority through their Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) budget which remains unspent (a) at the end of each financial year and (b) on termination of the CDF.

Paul Burstow: The overall strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT) surplus reported for 2011-12 includes the underspend against the funding allocated to the national health service for the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2011-12. As set out in the 2012-13 NHS Operating Framework, the aggregate 2011-12 SHA and PCT surplus is carried forward into 2012-13.
	Arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund from 1 April 2013 and beyond are subject to discussions between the Department and the national health service Commissioning Board Authority.

Cancer: Drugs

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that primary care trusts do not use the Cancer Drugs Fund to pay for treatments which are National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved and should be available through the local NHS.

Paul Burstow: Primary care trusts are legally obliged to fund drugs and treatments recommended in National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, within three months of guidance being published, unless the requirement is waived in a specific case.
	Treating clinicians, working with local national health service managers, are expected to explore all reasonable commissioning avenues for securing NHS funding before using the strategic health authority-managed Cancer Drugs Fund. This includes whether NICE has issued a positive technology appraisal for the treatment of the relevant indication. If so, such treatment must be made available on the NHS in line with NICE's recommendations.

Cancer: Drugs

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the use of the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority Cancer Drugs Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Cancer Drugs Fund was launched on 1 April 2011 to help thousands of cancer patients access the drugs their clinicians believe will help them. We also made an additional £50 million available to strategic health authorities in 2010-11. This funding has so far helped almost 18,500 patients in England to access the cancer drugs their clinicians recommend.
	Information on NHS South East Coast’s use of the funding is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 to end June 2012  
			  Number of patients funded Amount spent (£000(1)) Number of patients funded Amount spent (£000(1)) Number of patients funded Amount spent (£000) Total number of patients funded October 2010 to end June 2012(2) 
			 South East Coast 306 2,159 1,241 10,765 243 4,785 1,790 
			 (1) These figures include end of year spending commitments. (2) Some individual patients may be double-counted where a patient has received more than one drug treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund. Note: Spend figures have been rounded to the nearest £000. Source: Information supplied to the Department of Health by SHAs 
		
	
	Further information on the use of the Cancer Drugs Fund in England was made available in a statement from the Department and a bulletin from the National Cancer Action Team, which were published on 29 August 2012. Copies of both of these documents have been placed in the Library.

Cardiovascular System

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to ensure that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on atrial fibrillation are being implemented by (a) GP commissioning boards and (b) primary care trusts.

Simon Burns: It is for local national health service commissioners to determine the needs of their populations and ensure that appropriate services are available, taking into account the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) clinical guidelines where appropriate.
	NHS Improvement is working with the NHS to raise awareness of the importance of early detection and good management of atrial fibrillation (AF), building on the NICE guidelines. Its current work includes:
	increasing the detection of AF by means of opportunistic pulse checks; and
	driving the roll-out of the Guidance on Risk Assessment and Stroke Prevention in AF (GRASP-AF) tool to help ensure that those patients diagnosed with AF are receiving appropriate treatment.
	NICE is responsible for the prioritisation and development of potential indicators for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for general practitioner practices. New indicators were introduced in the QOF from April 2012 to improve the quality of care for patients with AF.
	The issue of AF is also being considered as part of the development of the Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that private care homes which receive registered nursing care contribution payments are required to make a proportionate reduction in fees charged to self-funding residents.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not set the fee rates that care homes charge residents who fund their care. These are a private matter to be negotiated and agreed between residents, or their families or representatives, and care homes.
	Registered nursing care contribution payments must be transparently reflected in the fees that care homes charge, and while the Department cannot set or recommend the level of fees that they charge, care homes are required to comply with the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their agreements with residents.

Carers

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to place requirements on HealthWatch to improve patient support for carers whose health is affected by their caring duties.

Anne Milton: HealthWatch is being established to represent the collective voice of all people and to make sure their views and experiences of health and social care are properly reflected in the commissioning and provision of services. We will not place requirements on HealthWatch to look at specific issues or groups of people. We have, however, placed a duty on HealthWatch to ensure it discharges its functions in a way that is representative of local people, the definition of which includes carers.

Carers: Health

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider adopting a strategy to promote well-being among unpaid carers.

Paul Burstow: The coalition Government published their cross Government Carers Strategy, ‘Recognised, valued and supported: Next steps for the Carers Strategy’ in November 2010. It sets out the priority areas for action, focusing on what will have the biggest impact on carers' lives, including supporting carers to remain mentally and physically well. Other key priorities are supporting carers to identify themselves earlier; supporting them to achieve their full education and employment potential; and personalising support so they can live a life of their own alongside caring.
	A copy of the strategy has been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_122077
	The Government published the Care and Support White Paper, together with the draft Care and Support Bill, on 11 July, which set out our plans for transformation of care and support. The draft Bill includes important provisions to extend the rights of carers to have an assessment of their own needs for support and—for the first time—to place a new duty on local authorities to meet carers' eligible needs for support.
	For the first time in law, the draft Care and Support Bill gives a proactive, positive message about what care and support is for, by creating new statutory principles designed to embed the promotion of individual well-being as the driving force behind care and support. The first clause of the draft Bill sets the context for all the provisions which follow: that the well-being of the individual is paramount and that local authorities must promote the individual's well-being in decisions made with and about them. This well-being principle is central to the Bill's approach to enshrining individual needs and outcomes at the heart of the new legal framework.

Charities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which registered charities his Department has made payments in the last three years; and what sums over what period have been paid in each case.

Simon Burns: Information on all departmental payments to registered charities is not available in the format requested from central records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Contraceptives: Cambridge

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that different forms of contraception are available to women of all ages in Cambridge;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the level of access to contraception services in Cambridge.

Paul Burstow: We recognise that easy access to the full range of contraception provision is an important part of health care, helping people to make informed decisions about how to avoid unintended pregnancy and plan their families.
	Current legislation requires primary care trusts (PCTs) to provide open access contraception services for all people in their local area, and to provide reasonable access to all methods of contraception. It is for PCTs, with their knowledge of local need, to determine how they can best fulfil the legislative requirements.
	From 1 April 2013, local authorities (LAs) will commission all contraception services out with the general practitioner contract. LAs will be mandated to commission comprehensive, open access contraception advice and services.
	The Department has not made an assessment of the level of access to contraception services in Cambridge. We will be publishing a sexual health policy document later this year, which will set out the evidence base for the improvement of all sexual health provision.

Dehydration

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were admitted to hospitals with dehydration caused by poor diet in each of the last five years; and what the (a) gender and (b) age was of each such person.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, tables showing a count of finished admission episodes where there was a named primary or secondary diagnosis of dehydration by gender and age for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11 have been placed in the Library. Please note that these are not a count of patients as a person may have been admitted to hospital more than once in the year.

Dental Services: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists were registered in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. Data are available for the number of dentists with national health service activity in Bassetlaw, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), for the last five years in the following table:
	
		
			 Headcount 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 53 52 53 51 65 
			 Nottingham City PCT 138 145 142 147 164 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 280 307 322 331 335 
			 Notes: 1. Dentists are defined as performers with NHS activity recorded by FP17 forms. 2. Dentists will be counted more than once if they have a contract in more than one PCT or strategic health authority. 3. England totals exclude duplication. 4. Data consist of performers in General Dental Services, Personal Dental Services and Trust-led Dental Services. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre, NHS Dental Services of the NHS Business Services Authority

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes patients eligible for insulin pumps were prescribed them in each primary care trust area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect this information.
	The Association of British Clinical Diabetelogists, Diabetes UK and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, with support from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, have sponsored a United Kingdom wide audit that will establish the numbers and types of insulin pumps that are in use.

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes patients received diabetes management education in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect this data.
	Local national health service organisations are responsible for providing high quality and safe diabetes services appropriate to their local populations, including providing information and education to people with diabetes about their condition and how to manage it.

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which primary care trusts have asked diabetes patients to change their blood glucose meter to a different brand for cost reasons in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much the NHS spent on insulin pumps in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect this data.

Drugs: Industry

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor (a) payment and (b) gifts given to (i) GPs, (ii) other medical staff and (iii) medical administrators by pharmaceutical companies.

Simon Burns: Payments or gifts to general practitioner (GPs), medical staff and medical administrators are not monitored centrally.
	The General Medical Council's “Good Medical Practice” states that doctors
	“must not ask for, or accept, any inducement, gift or hospitality which may affect or be seen to affect the way you prescribe for, treat or refer patients.”
	Guidance issued by the Department of Health requires national health service employers to ensure their staff are aware of the standards of business conduct for NHS staff and to have local procedures in place for recording the acceptance of gifts and hospitality.
	Furthermore, the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 prevent a person from accepting a financial or other advantage in order to carry out a function or activity improperly. These provisions provide equally to NHS staff, and GPs as independent contractors.

Food: Health Hazards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public awareness campaigns his Department has initiated against food and drink that poses a threat to public health in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: Change4Life was launched in January 2009. It encourages everyone in England to eat well, move more and to live longer. Originally developed as part of the childhood obesity prevention strategy, it targeted parents of children aged five to 11, it now seeks to inspire a broader social demographic from new mums to middle-aged adults. The campaign does not target specific harmful foods but encourages behaviour change across a wide range of areas including:
	‘5 A DAY’—eating at least five portions of fruit per day;
	Sugar Swaps—reducing consumption of added sugars;
	Cut back on fat—reducing fat consumption; and
	Snack check—reducing unhealthy snacking.
	The Department has also run campaigns to communicate alcohol harm reduction. The campaigns ran from 2006 to 2010.
	In 2012 the alcohol harm reduction campaign was incorporated into Change4Life, embracing not only the calorific content of alcohol but also the wider health harms of alcohol for adults in mid-life.
	More information on Change4Life can be found in the ‘Change4Life Three Year Social Marketing Strategy’ which has already been placed in the Library.

Food: Hygiene

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department provides to owners of shops selling food for immediate consumption who do not provide crockery and cutlery on steps to protect the personal hygiene of customers; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: We are advised that the Food Standards Agency, which holds the policy remit for food safety, does not issue such advice. European Union food law requires food business operators (FBOs) to supply safe food to consumers. FBOs are not responsible for consumers' personal hygiene or the manner in which food sold for immediate consumption off the premises is consumed. Consumers are entrusted to make their own choices on whether to eat such foods with or without crockery or cutlery.
	The FBO might have a more general duty of care to provide advice to customers if there are hazards associated with the consumption of a particular food in a particular way which are not widely known about by consumers.

General Practitioners

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards his Department has put in place to ensure that the constitutions adopted by local healthcare commissioning groups are reflective of NHS core principles, democratic management standards and public accountability requirements; and whether he has issued any guidelines to require decision-making power to be allocated proportionally according to the numbers of patients provided for.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 requires each clinical commissioning group (CCG) to have a constitution. This must set out various matters including the arrangements the CCG has made to discharge its functions and those of its governing body; its key processes for decision-making (including arrangements for ensuring openness and transparency in the decision-making of the CCG and its governing body) and arrangements for managing conflicts of interest. The constitution will form a key part of the evidence the NHS Commissioning Board will review when considering a CCG's application to be established.
	To support CCGs to put in place appropriate governance arrangements, the NHS Commissioning Board Authority has produced guidance for CCGs, which sets out how to adhere to accepted principles of good governance (including the Nolan principles and the seven key principles of the NHS constitution) and how to develop robust arrangements for accountability, transparency, and probity. The Board Authority has also produced a model constitution to assist CCGs in the development of their own constitution.
	It will be for each CCG to determine how they wish to set themselves up, how they discharge their responsibilities, their decision-making procedures and how these are set out in their constitution.

General Practitioners

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that no adverse effects on the quality of healthcare commissioning arise from variations in the organisational structure, competency and transparency of commissioning groups.

Simon Burns: The NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for considering applications from Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for establishment. The board will be required to satisfy itself of a number of core matters when considering applications, including whether a CCG has an appropriate area, satisfactory governance arrangements and whether it will be able to discharge its commissioning functions effectively. Where a CCG is not ready or willing to undertake its full statutory functions, the board may place conditions on the grant of an application. This could include placing restrictions on what functions a CCG carries out, or how it does so. It could also involve the board or another CCG carrying out functions on behalf of a CCG.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will also be responsible for holding CCGs to account. The board must conduct an assessment of how well each CCG has discharged its functions during each financial year, including in particular how well a CCG has sought continuous improvement in the quality of services or reduced inequalities. The board must publish a report annually summarising the results of all its performance assessments of CCGs. If the board believes that a CCG is failing, has failed, or might, fail to discharge any of its functions properly, it has powers to intervene in the operations of a CCG.

General Practitioners

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the name and contact details are of the chair of each clinical commissioning group.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will take on statutory responsibility for commissioning health services from April 2013. Prospective CCGs are currently developing their organisations, including finalising who will take on the role of chair of their governing body, in advance of applying to the NHS Commissioning Board for establishment.

General Practitioners: Coventry

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner surgeries in (a) Coventry and (b) Coventry North East constituency offered extended opening hours in (i) 2010 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Professions

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for joint working between health visitors, midwives and GPs after the implementation of the provisions of Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Anne Milton: By October 2012, there will be mechanisms in place to produce Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Well-being Strategies to inform clinical commissioning group commissioning plans. Health and Well-being boards are where all commissioners come together to form a common understanding of outcomes, identify groups in need of support, listen to what matters to people locally, collaborate and hold each other to account. The NHS Commissioning Board is a key local partner of a Health and Well-being board. The NHS Commissioning Board will commission primary care services and will use the Health and Well-being Board to make links with services provided elsewhere in the system, for example, maternity services commissioned by the clinical commissioning groups and health visiting, which is expected to be commissioned by local authorities from 2015.
	The Department has made available a range of documents designed to support partnership working for all professionals delivering the Healthy Child Programme 0-19 years olds. In particular, the ‘The Health Visiting and Midwifery Partnership—pathway for pregnancy and early weeks’, builds on good practice and evidence drawn from the professions and outlines aspirations and support that relate to improved outcomes. This is available at the Department's website:
	www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/03/supporting-partnership-working/

Health Services: South West

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish any correspondence between his Department and Sir Ian Carruthers, Chief Executive of the South West Strategic Health Authority, on the decision of healthcare trusts in the south-west to set up a regional pay consortium.

Simon Burns: There is no correspondence between the Department and Sir Ian Carruthers about the south-west regional pay consortium.

Health Visitors

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has for the future of the Health Visitor service; and how these services will be commissioned.

Anne Milton: ‘The Health Visitor Implementation Plan 2011-15—A Call to Action’, (February 2011), set out plans, accountabilities and partnership working related to the growth of the health visitor workforce. A copy has already been placed in the Library. The Department has put in place a four year transformational programme of recruitment and retention, professional development and improved commissioning linked to public health improvement. This will secure a future health visiting service that is universal, energised and fit for long-term growth.
	The future commissioning route of health visiting and the wider children's public health service from pregnancy to five years was subject to consultation in the Public Health White Paper. Following this consultation, the Government announced that they are committed to transferring commissioning of children's public health services for this group to local authorities in the medium term. However, in the short-term, the commitment to raise numbers of health visitors at the same time as strengthening the Healthy Child Programme and expanding Family Nurse Partnership by 2015, is best achieved through national health service commissioning. Between April 2013 and March 2015 the NHS Commissioning Board will lead the commissioning of health visitor services.

Health: Rural Areas

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions his Department has met the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss matters relating to rural health in the last two years; and what the outcomes of any such meetings were.

Anne Milton: The Department has met with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) colleagues 21 times over the last two years to discuss a range of rural health matters. These meetings have sought to coordinate and promote cross-government work on rural health and the environment, as part of our wider work with rural communities. Together with other forms of engagement, they have facilitated our contribution to DEFRA-led government policies, including the Uplands Policy Review (2011), the National Environment White Paper (“The natural choice: securing the value of nature”, 2011), and DEFRA's contribution to policies led by the Department, including the Public Health Outcomes Framework. The Public Health White Paper (“Healthy Lives, Healthy People”, 2010) notes the role of rural health, the environment and green space in improving health outcomes and tackling health inequalities.

Health: Transport

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the recommendations of the British Medical Association's report, entitled Healthy transport = Healthy lives.

Anne Milton: We welcome the British Medical Association report, which makes the case for health to be integrated with transport policy. We work closely with the Department for Transport to encourage active travel and optimise the health impacts of transport policies. We anticipate that the transfer of public health responsibilities from primary care trusts to local authorities will encourage greater dialogue between public health professionals and transport planners.

Heart Diseases: Children

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the decision to close the Leeds Children's Heart Surgery Unit.

Simon Burns: The “Safe and Sustainable” review of children's congenital cardiac services has been a clinically-led national health service review conducted by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), independent of Government.
	Following the review, the JCPCT, on behalf of local NHS commissioners, made a decision on 4 July 2012 about the future location of children's congenital heart surgery units.
	This independent decision means that, while in the future Leeds General Infirmary will no longer provide surgery for children with congenital heart disease, it will continue to provide the ongoing treatment and management these children need as close to their home as possible.

Heart Diseases: Children

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many procedures for children's heart surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle were registered in the Central Cardiac Audit Database in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such procedures were performed on patients from Northern Ireland.

Simon Burns: Information from the Central Cardiac Audit Database is not held centrally.
	Set out in the following table is a count of all finished consultant episodes (FCEs)(1) with an operative procedure on the heart(2) for the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust(3) and those FCEs which were for patients residing in Northern Ireland(4) (procedures performed in The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS).
	It should be noted that this is not a count of patients as the same patient may have more than one episode within a spell and/or be admitted more than once in a year.
	Reference should be made to the following footnotes when interpreting the data.
	
		
			  Number 
			 FCEs for heart surgery for children aged 0-17 at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 388 
			 Those for patients residing in Northern Ireland 10 
			 (1) Finished Consultant Episode (FCE). A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2) Number of episodes with a (named) main procedure. The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 procedure fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record: OPCS codes used: K01-K78 (Heart). (3) Hospital Provider A provider code is a unique code that identifies an organisation acting as a health care provider (e.g. NHS trust or PCT). Used: Hospital provider = RTD (The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust). (4) SHA/PCT of residence The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. Used: SHA residence=Z (Northern Ireland). Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode, Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Home Care Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he expects HealthWatch to take to measure the quality of care provided in the recipient's own home.

Anne Milton: HealthWatch is being established to represent the collective voice of all people. It will provide scrutiny of all public-funded health and social care services wherever they are delivered.
	It is up to each local HealthWatch to decide how it carries out its functions and which issues it prioritises based on feedback from the local community.

Incontinence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bladder and bowel patients were waiting to see a specialist nurse providing continence advice in each primary care trust in London on 5 April (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to approach individual primary care trusts for the information.

Internet

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to create a myth buster section on its website similar to that of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Anne Milton: The Department's website has occasionally been used to directly address press misconceptions or to answer common questions, for example about the modernisation of health and care:
	http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/category/questions-answered/
	but there are no plans to create a dedicated myth buster section.

Leukaemia

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that chronic myeloid leukaemia patients have a wide range of treatment options (a) when newly diagnosed and (b) at the second line of treatment;
	(2)  what long-term plans his Department has to ensure that those diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia have access to a wide range of treatment options after the end of the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2014.

Paul Burstow: ‘Improving Outcomes in Haematological Cancers’, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2003, makes recommendations on the treatment, management and care of patients with haematological cancers. The guidance makes recommendations on first and second line treatments for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Our Cancer Outcomes Strategy, published on 12 January 2011, makes it clear that the NICE guidance will continue to be a feature of all commissioned services.
	This year, NICE has made recommendations regarding a number of drugs for first and second line treatment of CML. On 25 April 2012, NICE published final guidance that recommended nilotinib and standard-dose imatinib for first line CML but did not recommend dasatinib. This followed final guidance, published by NICE on 13 January 2012, that recommended nilotinib but did not recommend dasatinib or high-dose imatinib for patients who are resistant or intolerant to standard-dose imatinib.
	Both NICE recommendations concerning nilotinib are subject to a patient access scheme agreed between the manufacturer and the Department that reduces the price of the drug.
	There is a statutory obligation on the national health service to provide funding for treatments and drugs recommended by NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of the NICE technology appraisal guidance being published.
	Once NICE publishes guidance, health professionals and the organisations that employ them are expected to take it fully into account when deciding what treatments to give people. However, NICE guidance does not replace the knowledge and skills of individual health professionals who treat patients. If a clinician feels that a certain treatment would be particularly beneficial to a patient, they can recommend it, even if it has not been approved by NICE, subject to the primary care trust (PCT) agreeing to fund the treatment.
	The NHS Constitution states that patients have the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments:
	“to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence.”
	If a PCT decides not to fund a drug, then it should explain that decision.
	We will ensure that there are arrangements in place to protect individual patients who are receiving treatment with drugs funded by the Cancer Drugs Fund as the end of the Fund approaches.
	From January 2014, under our plans for value-based pricing, we want all patients, including those with CML, to have better access to effective and innovative new drugs at a price that reflects the value they bring to patients and the NHS.

Malaria

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) cases and (b) fatal cases of malaria have been reported in the last five years.

Anne Milton: The following table gives the numbers of reported cases of malaria for the United Kingdom in the last five years and the number of fatal cases of malaria reported for the UK in the last five years.
	
		
			  Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium vivax Plasmodium ovale Plasmodium malariae Mixed Plasmodium species unspecified Total Deaths 
			 2011 1,149 416 77 31 4 — 1,677 8 
			 2010 1,263 350 99 37 12 — 1,761 7 
		
	
	
		
			 2009 1,179 205 69 36 6 — 1,495 6 
			 2008 1,087 177 76 20 9 1 1,370 6 
			 2007 1,139 256 108 30 15 — 1,548 5

Medical Records

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of expanding access to anonymised medical data on (a) medical research and (b) the economy.

Simon Burns: The Prime Minister launched the Strategy for UK Life Sciences in December 2011. This sets out an ambitious programme of activity designed to position the United Kingdom as the global hub for life sciences and the location of choice for investment, thus contributing to sustained economic growth. As part of this strategy, a new secure data service—the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)—was established on 29 March 2012. The Government are investing £60 million over the next four years in this unique service that offers life sciences researchers access to anonymised and linked patient records covering primary, secondary, community and special care.
	Expanding access to anonymised medical data will substantially improve the evidence base for research in the UK, by ensuring data collected in routine national health service care is available to researchers to enable assessment of clinical trial feasibility, site selection and faster patient recruitment. It will improve the evidence base for population wide observational research studies, which has been difficult to achieve previously.
	The CPRD builds upon two earlier initiatives: the Research Capability Programme that developed the concept with a wide range of stakeholders, piloted the service and built the case for investment; and the General Practice Research Database that has been operating for the past 20 years with limited access to patient data.

Medical Records

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what legislative proposals he plans to bring forward to support plans for greater use of anonymised data;
	(2)  what his policy is on the use of anonymised data; and what assessment he has made of the (a) Framingham Heart Study and (b) Whitehall II study.

Simon Burns: There are no plans to introduce legislative proposals to support the use of anonymised data. Such proposals are not required as effectively anonymised data can be used freely.
	The Government published in May 2012 our information strategy for health and care in England, “The power of information—Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need”.
	This strategy makes it clear that we will use anonymised data to drive system improvement, our health and care choices, integration, efficiency and research; support growth; and allow robust measurement of care outcomes.
	To ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to implementing the strategy, the Government have commissioned a review of the current information governance rules and their application in England. The aim of this review is to ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between the protection of confidential and identifiable information within our health and care records and the use and sharing of that information to improve the quality and safety of our own care and for the benefit of wider society. Dame Fiona Caldicott is leading this independent review which will report later in the year.
	Although both the Framingham Heart study and the Whitehall II study are independent of the Department, we have brought these studies to Dame Fiona's attention.

Medical Records

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss the elimination of the duplication of patient data with the Health Research Authority.

Simon Burns: The collection of patient data, as a result of direct national health service care, is recorded at the point of care. The role of the recently established Clinical Practice Research Datalink is to extract this data and process it for research purposes thus avoiding duplication of data recording. The principle is to record information once and then use it for approved purposes, such as research.
	The Health Research Authority's (HRA) role is to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health research. It is intended that the HRA will take on the Secretary of State for Health’s role in approving the exceptional processing of confidential patient information for medical research by April 2013, as part of its role in streamlining approvals for health research.

Medical Records: Data Protection

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that any future changes to European law on data protection provided greater clarity and proportionality on the use of patient data in health research in the UK.

Simon Burns: The Ministry of Justice is co-ordinating the Government's input into the EU data protection regulation and Department of Health officials are actively involved in this work to represent the interests of all parties in the United Kingdom who have a justifiable need to process health data. This includes ensuring that any new regulation or directive provides a clear and workable framework for health research compliance with data protection requirements.

Medical Records: Data Protection

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce an opt-out system for the use of anonymised patient data within health research.

Simon Burns: When data are effectively anonymised they can no longer identify specific individuals and they have no legal right to opt-out of the data’s use for health research or other purposes. We therefore have no plans to introduce such an opt-out system.
	The Government published in May 2012 our information strategy for health and care in England, ‘The power of information—Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need’.
	This strategy makes it clear that we will use anonymised data to drive system improvement, our health and care choices, integration, efficiency and research; support growth; and allow robust measurement of care outcomes.
	A copy of the publication has already been placed in the Library and further information is available at:
	http://informationstrategy.dh.gov.uk

Medicine: Education

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students in each university left NHS-funded university medicine courses before completing their studies after (a) their first year, (b) their second year, (c) their third year, (d) their fourth year and (e) their fifth year in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: This information is not held centrally. To find this information it would be necessary to approach each university individually.

Mental Health Services

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish an implementation plan for his Department's No Health without Mental Health framework.

Paul Burstow: We will be publishing our mental health implementation framework on 24 July 2012.

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 73W, on depressive illnesses, how much the NHS spent on talking therapies in each year since 2001; and how much it expects to spend in each year to 2015;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 80W, on mental health services, what figures led to his conclusion that mindfulness-based therapy is increasingly being offered as part of the IAPT delivered intervention.

Paul Burstow: Improving access to psychological sherapies (IAPT) services were created to improve access to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved and evidence-based psychological therapies for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in the national health service. Funding allocated for IAPT services for the period 2008-09 onwards is set out as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2008-09 33 
			 2009-10 116 
			 2010-11 173 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 216 
			 2012-13 261 
			 2013-14 (1)306 
			 2014-15 (1)306 
			 Total 1,411 
			 (1) Indicative. 
		
	
	The funding in the first two years was allocated to NHS bodies from a central budget. In 2010-11 the £70 million was centrally allocated and £103 million was incorporated into NHS baseline funding. From 2011-12 onwards all IAPT funding has been in the NHS baseline.
	The use of Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of recurrent depression is approved by NICE. Evidence of its increasing use within IAPT services is based on information from IAPT regional training plans which show that training in Mindfulness CBT has been commissioned for IAPT psychological therapists in at least two regions.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he plans to issue to local authorities on their responsibilities for local health improvement services in respect of people with musculoskeletal conditions, including programmes to promote physical activity.

Paul Burstow: From April 2013, it will be the responsibility of local authorities to commission health improvement services that respond to local needs and priorities. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recently published a “public health briefing” providing resources to help local authorities discharge this responsibility. This in turn references other available guidance and reports, including the chief medical officer's 2004 report ”At least five a week” which sets out some of the evidence of the beneficial impacts of activity on health. Appropriate physical activity can reduce the risk or delay the progression of some musculoskeletal conditions and ameliorate their symptoms; it can also reduce the risk of depression which many people suffer in conjunction with musculoskeletal disease.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data on musculoskeletal services clinical commissioning groups will be required to supply to the NHS Information Centre.

Paul Burstow: We do not anticipate that clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be supplying data to the NHS Information Centre. Data on services commissioned by CCGs, including musculoskeletal services, will be captured from providers and mapped onto CCGs for the purpose of analysis.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) assistance and (b) support the NHS Commissioning Board will provide to clinical commissioning groups to enable them to commission high quality musculoskeletal services.

Paul Burstow: Guidance on high quality musculoskeletal services is already available from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and from professional organisations. This will in due course be complemented by NICE quality standards for several of the major musculoskeletal conditions. It will be for the NHS Commissioning Board to determine in due course what additional support and guidance might be helpful, in the light of requests from clinical commissioning groups themselves.

Nervous System: Surgery

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to improve neurosurgical treatment for (a) severe epilepsy and (b) other conditions.

Paul Burstow: Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB) will have responsibility for the direct commissioning of a number of specialised services, including specialised neuroscience services, on a national basis. This will ensure that the highest level of care is commissioned for patients regardless of their geographical location.
	No final decisions have yet been taken on which services the NHSCB will directly commission from April 2013. Ministers expect to be in a position to set out an initial list later in the summer. This will then be subject to consultation with the NHSCB prior to setting out in regulations.
	In addition, there will be flexibility for clinical commissioning groups to decide how to commission other, low volume services through, for example, collaboration and lead commissioner arrangements and will be supported in this task by clinical networks and clinical senates.

NHS: Redundancy Pay

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the system is for seeking approval from HM Treasury for NHS special severance cases; and what plans he has to improve that system;
	(2)  how his Department keeps information on how management systems have been or will be improved in each case submitted for HM Treasury approval for NHS special severance cases.

Simon Burns: Before seeking approval from HM Treasury, national health service trusts, primary care trusts or strategic health authorities must be satisfied that any severance case is in the best interest of their organisation and represents value for money. The case must then be approved by their remuneration committee, the membership of which is non-executive.
	The severance case will then be submitted to the Department, where the case is reviewed to ensure that it does not reward, or is seen to reward, failure, dishonesty or inappropriate behaviour and then is assessed in respect of value for money. Once the Department is content that the severance case is appropriate and demonstrates value for money, it will be submitted to HM Treasury for final approval.
	Foundation trusts must also seek HM Treasury approval, through Monitor, for any severance cases.
	In respect of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities trusts, the Department keeps a detailed record of all severance cases, which allows the challenge of any organisation that routinely submits severance cases, rather than tackling difficult issues.
	The Department requires that every severance case submitted includes an explanation of the lessons that have been learnt by the organisation and how management systems have been or will be improved to avoid the occurrences of similar cases in the future.

NHS: Research

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring the NHS Research and Development permissions within the Health Research Authority.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Dr Huppert) on 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 108W.

NHS: Staff

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on the minimum ratio of medical to health care assistants on hospital wards.

Simon Burns: Decisions about staffing requirements are best made by local clinicians and managers, and will vary according to the individual needs of patients.
	Where organisations are planning or experience changes, including changes to the balance and skill-mix of the work force, this must be safety and quality assured so that there are no adverse affect on patients. The process should include clinical involvement, leadership and sign-off.
	The Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires registered providers to take appropriate steps to ensure that, at all times, there are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced persons employed for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity. CQC Guidance about Compliance references guidance set out by, for example, professional bodies.

Obesity

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the increase in finished admission episodes involving patients with obesity between 1997-98 and 2010-11.

Anne Milton: During the period 1997-98 and 2010-11 there has been an increase in the number of finished admission episodes (FAE) with a primary diagnosis of obesity. This increase may have been for a number of reasons, including:
	a significant improvement in data quality, coverage and coding of obesity-related admissions over this time period;
	publication of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on obesity, which may have raised clinical awareness and led to a change in practice;
	the increase in the prevalence of obesity;
	a substantial increase in the number of hospital admissions associated with bariatric surgery since 2000-01; and
	the shift in the distribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) across the population over this period, which has resulted in an increase in the number of morbidly obese individuals (BMI >=40kg/m(2)). Such individuals are more likely to require hospital bariatric services which may result in multiple admissions, so that one patient may result in a number of FAE counts in one year.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment of the potential cost to the NHS of proposals to increase the small claims limit for personal injury.

Simon Burns: The Department has not conducted an impact assessment of the potential cost to the national health service of an increase to the small claims limit for personal injury.

Private Finance Initiative

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his policy is on the future use of the private finance initiative by his Department;
	(2)  whether he plans to make ProCure21+ the mandatory procurement route for construction projects in excess of £1 million by his Department.

Simon Burns: The ProCure21+ National Framework is used for public-capital funded procurement projects and there are no plans to make it mandatory for the national health service. NHS organisations can choose to use the framework if they wish to do so.
	A number of capital procurement projects are also being taken forward under the current private finance initiative model. In November 2011, the Government announced a plan to reform this current model and the Treasury has led a broad-based engagement process with interested parties to bring forward proposals. The Treasury is concluding the analysis of the submitted evidence but there is currently no fixed date for a ministerial decision to be announced.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 160W, 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 443W, and 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 525W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information centrally on the costs of circulars, consultation documents and publications since May 2010. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many settings claiming for the cost of milk through the nursery milk scheme claimed more than (a) 10 pence per pint, (b) 20 pence per pint, (c) 30 pence per pint, (d) 40 pence per pint and (e) 50 pence per pint in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The following table provides approximate figures for the number of child care settings claiming for the free nursery milk at a cost ranging from 10 pence to more than 90 pence per pint in the month of June 2012:
	
		
			 Cost claimed by the child care settings in providing free nursery milk in the month of June 2012 (cost per pint) Approximate number of child care settings 
			 10p to 19p 14 
			 20p to 29p 431 
			 30p to 39p 1,311 
			 40 to 49p 3,298 
			 50p to 59p 3,221 
			 60p to 69p 2,980 
			 70p to 79p 23,098 
			 80p to 89p 1,140 
			 More than 90p 8,962

Smoking: Health Services

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to assist local authorities in preparing to take over responsibility for commissioning smoking cessation services.

Anne Milton: In ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Update and way forward’, published in July 2011, the Government confirmed that the new responsibilities for upper tier and unitary local authorities would include tobacco control, including smoking cessation services. It will be for local authorities, alongside their health and wellbeing board partners, to determine what investment they wish to make in smoking cessation, based on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the joint health and wellbeing strategy. However, the Public Health Outcomes Framework, to which local authorities will have to have regard, contains three indicators on smoking prevalence, with respect to adults, pregnant women, and young people.
	The Department and, from April 2013, Public Health England, will continue to support local authorities to help them to develop and implement comprehensive evidence-based tobacco control policies, which should include the provision of smoking cessation services.

Smoking: Health Services

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the quality and effectiveness of NHS smoking cessation services.

Anne Milton: The steps that the Department is taking to support the improvement of Local Stop Smoking Services are set out in Chapter 6 of ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England’, published in 2011. This document has already been placed in the Library.
	To support the effective provision of Local Stop Smoking Services, the Department published ‘Local Stop Smoking Services: Service and Monitoring Guidance 2011-12’. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library. This document provides best practice guidance relevant to the commissioning and provision of stop smoking interventions and sets out fundamental quality principles. The Department intends to publish an update to this guidance by the end of this year.

Thalidomide

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Minister of State for Care Services has discussed the Thalidomide Trust's report entitled Securing Our Future with members of the Thalidomide Trust National Advisory Committee; and if he will take account of the findings of the report in making his decision on the continuation of the health grant.

Paul Burstow: When I met with the hon. Member and members of the Thalidomide Trust and the National Advisory Committee on 12 June 2012, I committed to making and sharing a decision on the way forward with the trust in the autumn following a thorough evaluation of the report. Departmental officials have seen the interim report of the ‘Securing our Future’ project and I look forward to seeing the final report in due course.

Thalidomide

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to obtain high-quality cost data on local thalidomide social care services;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on the updating of published data concerning the health and social care of people affected by thalidomide, in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not taken steps to obtain cost data on local thalidomide social care services, and does not hold any data concerning the health and social care of people affected by thalidomide.
	The Department has provided £20 million over the three years 2010-11 to 2012-13 to the Thalidomide Trust to fund a pilot scheme in England to explore how the needs of thalidomide survivors can best be met in the long term. The devolved Administrations have made similar grants to the Thalidomide Trust. Officials recently met representatives of the Thalidomide Trust and the National Advisory Council to the Trust to discuss the evaluation report on the second year of the pilot scheme.

Thalidomide

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions officials in his Department have had with clinicians experienced in the treatment of people affected by thalidomide in order to inform the evaluation of long-term health requirements of such people;
	(2)  how many people affected by thalidomide Ministers in his Department have met to discuss their long-term health needs since May 2010.

Paul Burstow: The Thalidomide Trust is the hub of clinical expertise in the treatment of people affected by Thalidomide. Departmental officials have had a range of meetings with the trust and members of the National Advisory Council (NAC) to discuss the administration and outcomes of the health grant.
	Most recently, I met with representatives of the trust and the NAC on 12 June 2012. At that meeting, I committed to making and sharing a decision on the way forward with the trust in the autumn following a thorough evaluation of their report.

Thalidomide

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the health grant for people affected by thalidomide;
	(2)  what the level will be of the health grant for people affected by thalidomide in each year of the grant's pilot.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials have had a range of meetings with the Thalidomide Trust and members of the National Advisory Council (NAC) to discuss the administration and outcomes of the health grant.
	Most recently, I met with representatives of the trust and the NAC on 12 June 2012. At that meeting) I committed to making and sharing a decision on the way forward with the trust in the autumn following a thorough evaluation of their report. The grant is £20 million England, £26.4 million United Kingdom and covers the three years 2010-11 to 2012-13. We are currently evaluating the second year of the report which will give us an indication of the level of the grant in each year.

Thalidomide

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the findings of the interim Firefly report on levels of reliance on analgesic drugs amongst people suffering from the effects of thalidomide following the introduction of the pilot health grant scheme.

Paul Burstow: Departmental officials have had a range of meetings with the Thalidomide Trust and members of the National Advisory Council (NAC) to discuss the administration and outcomes of the health grant.
	Most recently, I met with representatives of the trust and the NAC on 12 June 2012. At that meeting, I committed to making and sharing a decision on the way forward with the trust in the autumn following a thorough evaluation of their report.

Thalidomide

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor and publicly report on the quality and safety of specialised mobility for people affected by thalidomide, with or without limbs.

Paul Burstow: These issues will be considered as part of the Department's response to the Thalidomide Trust's recent report, ‘Securing Our Future’, which I committed to making in the autumn. No specific steps are being taken to monitor or report on the quality and safely of specialised mobility for people affected by Thalidomide.

Transplant Surgery

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 559W, which health improvement initiatives were led by the former National Clinical Director of Transplantation; and what steps he took to measure and assess the success of such initiatives in determining whether or not to replace the National Clinical Director of Transplantation.

Anne Milton: Professor Chris Rudge, the former National Clinical Director for Transplantation, led the implementation of the Organ Donation Taskforce recommendations from 2008 until his retirement in August 2011, working with a range of organisations to increase organ donation. Initiatives included a strengthening of the donation programme by increasing the number of donation nurses to work with donor families; the appointment of clinical leads and donation committee chairs in hospitals to support local action to identify, and refer all potential donors; and the development of legal and ethical guidance to support clinicians working in organ donation. Over that time, deceased donation rates increased and now stand at 38%, over the baseline year of 2007-08. Professor Rudge now chairs the Transitional Steering Group, helping to achieve a 50%, increase in organ donation rates by 2013.
	NHS Blood and Transplant are developing the strategy from 2013, building on the Organ Donation Taskforce recommendations. This will establish them as the national organisation for organ donation and transplantation, The strategy, to be officially launched in April 2013, will build on what has been achieved so far and identify new ways to make sure that as many people as possible in the United Kingdom receive the transplant they need.

Transplant Surgery

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 765W, on transplant surgery, whether he considers the post of National Clinical Director for Transplantation to be permanently redundant.

Anne Milton: In future, any such appointment decisions will be the responsibility of the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB). The NHS CB will develop the criteria for recruiting clinical leads and for discontinuing any such appointments.

Veterans: Amputation

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) medical services, (b) compensation and (c) mental health support are made available by his Department for former service personnel who have had limbs amputated as a result of their service.

Simon Burns: The full range of national health service medical services that are available to the general population are also available to veterans.
	Some service charities had expressed concern that the NHS was not equipped with the resources or expertise to continue to provide the high level of service currently provided to military amputees by the Defence Medical Services. The Prime Minister asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to review prosthetics provision for this group. The Government accepted the key recommendations of his report and allocated up to £15 million over three years for implementation.
	Veterans who have an injury attributable to service have had access to additional funding for high quality prosthetics through an existing local NHS Disablement Service Centre since April 2012. We are now examining how best to implement national specialised commissioning of veterans' prosthetics services by March 2013.
	Compensation for former service personnel who have had limbs amputated as a result of their service is paid by the Ministry of Defence through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).
	The AFCS provides a tax free lump sum for pain and suffering, the size of which reflects the severity of injury or illness. There are 15 tariff levels with associated lump sum awards which range from £1,200 to £570,000. For serious injuries and illness, in addition to the lump sum, the AFCS also provides an income stream known as the Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP). The GIP is a tax-free, index-linked monthly payment, payable from the point of discharge until death.
	The GIP is an enhancement to an individual's pension and is paid in recognition of the fact that the person has a lasting injury or illness caused by their military service which has impacted their future earning potential. The scale of the payment is based on the severity of injury, and age and salary at discharge..
	Since the publication of the report by my hon. Friend the member for South West Wiltshire into veterans' mental health services ‘Fighting Fit’ in October 2010, the Department has been working hard on the implementation of his plans to improve outcomes for ex-serving personnel with mental health issues. Some excellent progress has been made so far, with many new services for veterans up and running. There is a 24-hour helpline for veterans, an online emotional support service ‘Big White Wall’, an e-learning package for general practitioners launched in conjunction with the Royal College of General Practitioners, and new veterans' mental well-being services in each of the ‘old’ strategic health authorities’ areas. There has also been an uplift in the number of specific personnel available to treat veterans' mental health conditions to over 50, located nationwide.
	In terms of services for amputees specifically, we recognise that many of those who have lost limbs in service of their country will also develop mental health issues. Physical and mental health are closely linked and our aim is to develop holistic and integrated services whose overall focus will be to improve the lives of those who have served. In the development phase for our veterans' mental health services, we made sure we included experts in many different medical disciplines.

Warm Homes Healthy People Fund

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans that his Warm Homes Healthy People Fund will run again in 2012-13.

Anne Milton: No decisions have yet been taken about the Warm Homes Healthy People Fund for 2012-13. The situation remains under review.

Zinc

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, column 807W, on nutrition, what assessment he has made of the doubling of the proportion of young people between four and 10 and 11 and 18 whose daily intake of zinc is below the recommended level; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects on the (a) physical and (b) mental health of such young people.

Anne Milton: The Department has assessed the zinc intake of children using data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS). The most recent results(1), combining intake data, from children surveyed between 2008 and 2011 show that the proportion of individuals with intakes of zinc below the lower reference nutrient intake (LRNI) is now lower in both four-10 year olds and 11-18 year olds than it was in the earlier survey of this group(2) conducted in 1997, indicating improvement. 6 % of four-10 year olds now have intakes below the LRNI compared to 15% in 1997. 15% of 11-18 year olds now have intakes below the LRNI compared to 21% in 1997.
	Habitual intakes of nutrients below the LRNI put individuals at greater risk of becoming deficient, but having a low intake of zinc over the NDNS survey period does not necessarily mean that an individual is deficient. For zinc the dietary reference values were set in 1991(3) and were based on the amount of zinc needed to balance daily losses, rather than an amount needed to maintain or promote functional health effects.
	Zinc is an essential component of a number of proteins involved in biological processes in the human body and the symptoms of zinc deficiency are wide ranging. Research testing the benefits of zinc supplements have mainly focused on countries in the developing world where malnutrition is prevalent. Results on the physical effects, such as growth(4), wound healing(5), immunity(6),diarrhoea(7) and the mental effects(8) of zinc have generally been inconsistent.
	The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition reviews the results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and has not raised particular issues about zinc to the Department.
	References:
	(1) Bates B, Lennox A, Prentice A, Bates C, and Swan G (Eds.) (2012) National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Headline results from Years 1, 2 and 3 (combined) of the rolling programme (2008-09 – 2010-11)
	(2) Gregory J, Lowe S, Bates a, Prentice A, Jackson LV, Smithers G, Wenlock R and Farron M (2000) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: young people aged four to 18 years, Volume 1: Report of the diet and nutrition survey London HMSO.
	(3) Department of Health (1991) Dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report on health and social subjects No. 41. London HMSO.
	(4) Ramakrishnan U, Nguyen P, Martorell R (2009) Effects of micronutrients on growth of children under five years of age: meta-analyses of single and multiple nutrient interventions. Am J Clin Nutr. 89 (l):191-203.
	(5) Wilkinson EA (2012) Oral zinc for arterial and venous leg ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 15;8:
	(6) Hemila H (2011) Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of colds: a systematic review. Open Respir Med J. 5:51-8.
	(7) Lazzerini M, Ronfani L. (2012) Oral zinc for treating diarrhoea in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Jun 13;6
	(8) Black MM (2003) The evidence linking zinc deficiency with children's cognitive and motor functioning. J Nutr. 133(5 Suppl 1):1473S-6S.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of additional apprenticeships that would need to be created per percentage point of rebalancing of the economy from financial services to manufacturing.

John Hayes: Final data for the 2010/11 academic year show that there were 48,970 Apprenticeship starts in the Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Sector Subject Area, up by 29% on 2009/10. Of these, 32,120 were Intermediate Level and 16,850 were Advanced or Higher Level. Provisional data for the first nine months of the 2011/12 academic year show that there were 44,130 Apprenticeship starts in Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies. Provisional data will change as further data returns are received from further education colleges and providers.
	The relationship between this investment and the concept of economic ‘balance' is dependent upon assumptions about the character of labour market demand across the country. To model this would require a disproportionate amount of resource.

Apprentices

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of the apprenticeships (a) created in 2011-12 and (b) to be created in 2012-13 are level (i) 1, (ii) 2 and (iii) 3.

John Hayes: The Apprenticeship programme is demand led. The Government make funding available to Further Education (FE) colleges and providers to support the delivery of FE and skills training including apprenticeships.
	We estimate that for the 2011/12 academic year—which is not yet complete—there is funding available to fund 222,000 apprenticeship places for those aged 16 to 18 and 645,000 apprenticeship places for those aged 19 and over.
	We estimate that for the 2012/13 academic year there will be funding available to fund 240,000 apprenticeship places for those aged 16 to 18 and 650,000 apprenticeship places for those aged 19 and over.
	The actual amount delivered will depend on learner and employer demand. Robust breakdowns by level are not available.
	Note that these figures relate to learners participating in apprenticeships during each academic year, some of whom could have started in previous years.
	Information on the number of apprenticeship participation, starts and achievement is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 28th June 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Apprentices

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will calculate the cost to the public purse of increasing the proportion of apprenticeships for 16-17 year olds by 11 per cent in each year between 2012-13 and 2016-17.

John Hayes: The Government are committed to raising the age of compulsory participation in education or training to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015 and is spending a record £7.5 billion on education and training places for young people in 2012-13. Under the Education Act, the Government are also committed to ensuring suitable training is available for all young people who secure an apprenticeships place. However, apprenticeships are demand led and depend on employers offering places; the Government does not therefore set targets for future expansion, and the exact costs of future provision will depend upon the mix of opportunities which employers offer.

Business

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy that new (a) employment law and (b) other laws affecting businesses should be introduced only on a one in, one out basis.

John Hayes: It is the Government's policy that any new domestic regulation affecting business and civil society organisations should be introduced on a one in, one out basis, including employment law.

Business

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his Department has had with micro-businesses.

John Hayes: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recognises the importance of micro businesses, their role in promoting growth in the economy and the need to understand the particular barriers they face.
	BIS regularly engages with small business representative bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Forum of Private Businesses (FPB) who have a number of micro businesses as their members. The minister for Business and Enterprise my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk) meets the FSB quarterly and the Permanent Secretary met with the FSB in June 2012.
	In July 2012, the Minister for Business and Enterprise met my hon. Friend the Member for Newton Abbot (Anne Marie Morris), to discuss the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Micro Businesses and how we can assist micro businesses.
	The All Party Parliamentary Group for Micro Businesses was established to accord a voice to this sector in Parliament. The group currently has an estimated 70 members drawn from across almost every party in Parliament. The Secretariat for the group is undertaken by the Forum of Private Business, with a number of other business organisations and sector representatives supporting its activities on an informal basis (such as the Federation of Small Businesses).

Business: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to support small and medium-sized businesses in Peterborough.

John Hayes: We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and for the next decade to be the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in Britain's history. That is why, in January, the Prime Minister launched “Business in You”, a major campaign, to inspire people to realise their business ambitions and to highlight the range of support available for start-ups and growing businesses.
	We have introduced a range of measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK:
	Ensuring SMEs can access the support and advice they need to start and grow
	We have changed the way that we help people access the information, guidance and advice they need to start and grow a business. We have put in place a range of services including;
	An improved www.businesslink.gov.uk website including: a new Growth and Improvement Service and My New Business, a comprehensive start-up service.
	A Business Link Helpline which will support those who are unable to access the internet.
	A mentoring portal www.mentorsme.co.uk providing an easy route to find experienced business mentors.
	A new three year “GrowthAccelerator” programme which will provide high quality coaching support for up to 26,000 SMEs with high growth potential.
	Ensuring businesses can access the finance they need
	In July, the Government and Bank of England launched the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS), which allows banks and building societies to borrow at cheaper rates from the Bank of England for periods of up to four years. The FLS creates strong incentives for banks to increase lending to UK households and businesses by lowering interest rates and increasing access to credit.
	Launched a new £10 million Start-Up Loan Scheme aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds.
	Increased the funds available to invest through the Business Finance Partnership (BFP) to £1.2 billion. Government will allocate £100 million of the BFP to invest through non-traditional lending channels that can reach smaller businesses.
	Continuation of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme until 2014/15, providing, subject to demand, over £2 billion of additional lending.
	Announced a new £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund to encourage Business Angel investment.
	Continuation of the Government's Enterprise Capital Funds programme, increasing our commitment by £200 million, providing for more than £300 million of venture capital investment to address the equity gap for early stage innovative SMEs.
	Welcomed the report of the industry review of non-bank lending chaired by Tim Breedon and will take forward its recommendations, including encouraging prompt payment by larger firms.
	A £2.4 billion Regional Growth Fund operating across England from 2011 to 2015 which supports projects and programmes that lever private sector investment creating economic growth and sustainable employment.
	Ensuring that regulation supports business growth
	Introduced a ‘one-in, one-out' rule whereby no new regulations which impose costs on businesses can be brought in without regulation of an equivalent value being removed.
	In April 2011 the Government introduced a three-year moratorium on new domestic regulation affecting micro businesses and genuine start-ups.
	The Red Tape Challenge is tackling the stock of regulation via a comprehensive thematic review which aims to identify regulations that could be removed, simplified or done in a different way. Ten themes have already been reviewed and Ministers have announced that 50% of over 1,800 regulations across these themes will be scrapped or improved.
	Changes proposed in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will strengthen the legal powers under which sunset and review clauses can be included in secondary legislation.
	Addressing the way in which regulation is enforced at the front line through a series of sector-based reviews of enforcement to examine whether national and local regulatory enforcement was being undertaken and placing the minimum necessary burden on business.
	To reduce barriers to businesses taking on new staff Government has announced significant deregulation of employment law, including increasing the unfair dismissal qualifying period from one to two years from 6 April 2012.
	Encouraging exporting SMEs
	Government will spend £35 million to double, from 25,000 to 50,000, the number of SMEs that UKTI supports a year by 2015. Many components of the UKTI product are aimed at SMEs:
	Passport to Export is a trade development programme offering new and inexperienced exporters help and support to build the capability to start exporting proactively and make their first visit to an export market. Launched in 2001, it has helped around 14,000 SMEs as of January 2012.
	Gateway to Global Growth offers experienced SME exporters the opportunity to increase their exporting skills and awareness of what is on offer from UKTI and private sector suppliers. The aim is to help them enter more difficult markets or expand in existing ones.
	Market Visit Support provides assistance to new to export and/or new to market SMEs visiting overseas markets, individually or in groups as part of their trade development process.
	Budget 2012 set out an ambition to more than double annual UK exports to £1 trillion by 2020 through additional measures including expanding the overseas role of UK Export Finance to enable it to develop finance packages that could help UK exporters secure opportunities identified through UK Trade and Investment's High Value Opportunities programme.
	Local business support
	In additional to this national support, there is specific support for businesses in Peterborough, including:
	Cambridge and Counties Bank www.ccbank.co.uk which was launched in June by Cambridgeshire county council pension fund in conjunction with Trinity Hall College, Cambridge. The focus of the bank will be on delivering secured lending to SMEs that typically have an annual turnover of less than £25 million, and assets valued under this. The bank will offer loans between £50,000 and £1 million.
	Opportunity Peterborough—the local urban regeneration company—has an active network of SMEs in the Peterborough area and holds a range of events to signpost business improvement provision and provide peer-to-peer networking opportunities.

Construction: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to support the construction industry in Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: The Government are actively working to help all construction firms including those in Peterborough.
	Returning the UK to sustainable and balanced growth is a key priority for the Government and construction has a central role to play in this. Working closely with the construction industry, we are therefore:
	Removing barriers to growth—by tackling the planning system, the burden of regulation and access to finance. The Government is also looking at a number of other issues which may constrain the industry's ability to respond to future growth such as skills.
	Stimulating infrastructure development and improvement—The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) sets out the overarching view of our forthcoming infrastructure needs. It contains major spending commitments to improve our transport and broadband networks as well as steps to attract major new private sector investment. It has identified a pipeline of over 500 projects, including the top 40 priority infrastructure investments that are critical for growth.
	Ensuring Government plays a full role as a key customer of the industry. The Public Sector accounts for about 30% of the construction industry's output with another 10% accounted for by private finance initiative/public and private partnerships.
	Looking for new opportunities and identifying how they can best be exploited including realising the opportunities of the developing green economy, overseas markets and more effective use of ICT through Building Information Management (BIM).
	Stimulating the house building industry. The Government is committed to seeing a major increase in the supply of new homes where they are needed and wanted. The Housing Strategy, “Laying the Foundations—A Housing Strategy for England”, published last November announced an ambitious package of measures to increase significantly the supply of affordable homes.
	Nationally, £4.5 billion is to be invested in new affordable housing and expect to deliver 170,000 new homes by 2015. This will help create 80,000 jobs in construction and related trades. In addition, we are providing £1.34 billion to support the development of new homes and related infrastructure. Our £570 million Get Britain Building investment fund will help get stalled sites moving again. Applications from the Peterborough area have been made to both round 1 and 2 of this process.
	The £770 million Growing Places Fund is allowing Local Enterprise Partnerships to invest in local infrastructure that will boost local economic development and create new homes and jobs, including just over £16.1 million allocated to the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough Economic Partnership. Both the A1139 Fletton Parkway Improvement Scheme and Phase 2 of the Peterborough Southbank Regeneration Project have been shortlisted by the LEP.
	Final data for the 2010/11 academic year show that there were 60 apprenticeship starts in the ‘Construction, Planning and the Built Environment' sector subject area in Peterborough local authority similar to the number of starts in 2009/10.
	Final data for the 2010/11 academic year show that there were 20 apprenticeship starts in the ‘Construction' framework in Peterborough local authority, down from 30 starts on 2009/10.
	The Government are working closely with the construction industry to ensure they benefit from the biggest and best apprenticeships programme our country has seen.
	To ensure apprenticeships are better able to respond to the future needs of the sector, we have asked Construction Skills, the body responsible for promoting the skills needs of the sector to government, to set out further plans to increase the availability of high quality apprenticeships.

Executives: Pay

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 769W, on executives: pay, who will determine whether payments contravene approved policy; and by what process this will be determined.

John Hayes: holding answer 17 July 2012
	If either shareholders or directors of a company believe that payments contravene approved remuneration policy, then the matter could be taken to the civil courts which will ultimately decide whether or not the payments in question are authorised.

Exports: Mauritania

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what amount of British goods was exported to Mauritania in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

John Hayes: According to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)'s Overseas Trade Statistics, the UK exported £16.0 million worth of goods to Mauritania in 2011. In 2010, the value of UK goods exports to Mauritania was £43.6 million.

Higher Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons he introduced due diligence checks for providers of designated courses.

David Willetts: We introduced financial sustainability and governance checks on providers applying for specific designation following a significant change in the range and type of organisations making applications. The checks are intended to provide both the Department and potential students with additional assurance over the providers who as a result of designation could potentially be in indirect receipt of public funds.

Higher Education

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the length of time it should take to designate a course from receipt of an application for designation to determination of the application.

David Willetts: Privately funded institutions that wish to have a course specifically designated for student support purposes apply in the first instance to the Student Loans Company (SLC). Applications are assessed by the SLC against the course designation criteria in the Education (Student Support) Regulations and the applications are forwarded to the Department for consideration.
	The Department then undertakes further checks on organisations that are applying for specific designation for the first time. These include consideration of the management, governance, and financial stability of the organisation.
	The length of time it should take to designate a course will vary from case to case; however in all cases the Department aims to process applications in the shortest time consistent with a rigorous examination of the application, once all relevant supporting material has been received.

Regional Growth Fund: North West

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department has allocated through round (a) one and (b) two of the Regional Growth Fund to each successful company in (i) Liverpool City region and (ii) the North West; and how much has been drawn down in each case to date.

John Hayes: The following amounts have been awarded to organisations in Liverpool and the North West Region in Rounds 1 and 2 of the Regional Growth Fund.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Allocations Payments Withdrawn 
			  Round 1 Round 2 Round 1 Round 2 Rounds 1 and 2 
			 LCR 15,750,000 92,884,924 5,923,635 27,573,374 2,906,200 
			 NW 27,871,560 206,112,352 7,616,207 29,435,398 4,906,200

Regulation

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to appointing named lead civil servants to deal with regulatory issues in particular industries.

John Hayes: Sector units within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) maintain direct relationships with the leading firms and Trade Associations (who bring together the views of their members) in particular industries. This provides a clear and well understood route for businesses to raise a wide range of policy issues with the Department, including those relating to regulatory issues.
	In some areas this process has been augmented through the creation of joint Government/Industry groups such as the Aerospace Growth Partnership or the Automotive Council. This sector work is complemented by a stakeholder relationship management programme which has identified lead Ministers and senior officials responsible for working with individual companies.
	In addition, the Government established the Red Tape Challenge which draws on views from business and the public to examine the stock of regulation by sector (eg manufacturing or retail), as well as in areas applying to all businesses (such as environment and health and safety). This process has been widely publicised with opportunities to comment through a variety of routes, including online. Details on all commitments made through the Red Tape Challenge can be found at:
	www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Staff

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies in each month since January 2010.

John Hayes: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The following table shows headcount for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) (excluding UKTI) in each month since January 2010:
	
		
			  BIS headcount (excluding UKTI) 
			 2010  
			 January 3,063 
			 February 3,167 
			 March 3,099 
			 April 3,081 
			 May 3,054 
			 June 3,099 
			 July 3,074 
			 August 2,934 
			 September 3,017 
			 October 2,986 
			 November 2,703 
			 December 2,718 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 2,693 
			 February 2,729 
			 March 2,747 
			 April 2,720 
			 May 2,711 
			 June 2,639 
			 July 2,439 
			 August 2,436 
			 September 2,440 
			 October 2,454 
			 November 2,462 
			 December 2,460 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 2,517 
			 February 2,455 
			 March 2,478 
			 April 2,533 
			 May 2,563 
		
	
	All BIS core (including UKTI) headcount data are published on a monthly basis and can be found at the following link:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
	I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member. This information is not held by BIS in respect of non-departmental public bodies.
	Letter from Tim Moss, dated 16 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12 July 2012, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, UIN 117800.
	The headcount for Companies House in each month since January 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			 January 2010 to June 2012 
			 2010 
			  Headcount 
			 January 1,170 
			 February 1,172 
			 March 1,163 
			 April 1,172 
			 May 1,177 
			 June 1,176 
			 July 1,177 
			 August 1,164 
			 September 1,170 
			 October 1,170 
			 November 1,154 
			 December 1,155 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 
			  Headcount 
			 January 1,155 
			 February 1,152 
			 March 1,146 
			 April 1,146 
			 May 1,146 
			 June 1,110 
			 July 1,091 
			 August 1,071 
			 September 998 
			 October 996 
			 November 997 
			 December 996 
		
	
	
		
			 2012 
			  Headcount 
			 January 996 
			 February 994 
			 March 990 
			 April 985 
			 May 984 
			 June 984 
		
	
	The headcount figures include full-time, part-time, and partially retired staff, and the number full time equivalent posts is significantly lower than the overall headcount numbers. For example, the number of full time equivalent posts for January 2010 was 1058 and for June 2012 it was 895. If you would like to see the full time equivalent figures for the period in question please contact me, and I will forward them to you.
	Letter from Graham Horne, dated 16 July 2012
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies in each month since January 2010.
	The headcount for permanent staff in The Insolvency Service since January 2010 is shown in the table below:
	
		
			  Headcount 
			 2010  
			 January 2,807 
			 February 2,796 
			 March 2,782 
			 April 2,771 
		
	
	
		
			 May 2,749 
			 June 2,735 
			 July 2,722 
			 August 2,708 
			 September 2,691 
			 October 2,685 
			 November 2,658 
			 December 2,657 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 2,649 
			 February 2,644 
			 March 2,639 
			 April 2,584 
			 May 2,139 
			 June 2,129 
			 July 2,124 
			 August 2,115 
			 September 2,115 
			 October 2,121 
			 November 2,115 
			 December 2,112 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 2,106 
			 February 2,104 
			 March 2,101 
			 April 2,094 
			 May 2,091 
		
	
	Letter from John Alty, dated 13 July 2012
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12th July 2012, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Headcount (HC) and Full time equivalent (FTE) of Intellectual Property Office since January 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			  HC FTE 
			 2010   
			 January 906 856.57 
			 February 905 855.29 
			 March 908 858.28 
			 April 907 857.18 
			 May 908 858.18 
			 June 906 855.68 
			 July 907 856.37 
			 August 904 852.24 
			 September 902 848.99 
			 October 897 842.71 
			 November 897 842.35 
			 December 894 838.94 
			    
			 2011   
			 January 897 842.48 
			 February 897 841.61 
			 March 900 844.94 
			 April 899 843.56 
			 May 902 844.68 
			 June 902 844.72 
		
	
	
		
			 July 897 840.21 
			 August 899 843.56 
			 September 897 839.89 
			 October 897 839.83 
			 November 900 843.04 
			 December 903 845.82 
			    
			 2012   
			 January 907 848.98 
			 February 916 856.00 
			 March 900 844.94 
			 April 921 861.94 
			 May 951 892.07 
			 June 951 892.40 
			 July 953 894.47 
		
	
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 16 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 July 2012, UIN 117800 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The headcount of the Met Office in each month since January 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Headcount 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 January 1,924 1,884 1,867 
			 February 1,925 1,894 1,897 
			 March 1,926 1,908 1,901 
			 April 1,905 1,906 1,880 
			 May 1,911 1,899 1,927 
			 June 1,912 1,897 1,925 
			 July 1,925 1,903 — 
			 August 1,922 1,915 — 
			 September 1,923 1,912 — 
			 October 1,893 1,877 — 
			 November 1,896 1,893 — 
			 December 1,890 1,889 — 
		
	
	Letter from Malcolm Dawson, dated 16 July 2012
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your Parliamentary Question 117800 tabled on 12 July 2012.
	For your information, Land Registry was an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice until July 2011 when we moved to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under a Machinery of Government change.
	The table gives the data requested.
	I hope you find this information useful.
	
		
			 Land Registry headcount, January 2010 to July 2012 
			  Land Registry total 
			 2010  
			 January 6,399 
			 February 6,391 
			 March 6,299 
			 April 6,284 
			 May 6,265 
			 June 6,246 
			 July 6,214 
			 August 6,039 
			 September 5,953 
			 October 5,725 
			 November 5,648 
		
	
	
		
			 December 5,625 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 5,585 
			 February 5,570 
			 March 5,492 
			 April 5,397 
			 May 5,352 
			 June 5,322 
			 July 5,084 
			 August 5,076 
			 September 5,067 
			 October 5,060 
			 November 4,798 
			 December 4,782 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 4,765 
			 February 4,739 
			 March 4,733 
			 April 4,666 
			 May 4,698 
			 June 4,685 
			 July 4,668 
		
	
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 16 July 2012
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 July 2012, asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about headcount.
	The number of staff in post at NMO was as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 January 70 71 66 
			 February 68 71 66 
			 March 73 70 67 
			 April 73 70 66 
			 May 72 70 66 
			 June 71 70 66 
			 July 71 70 — 
			 August 71 70 — 
			 September 71 70 — 
		
	
	
		
			 October 71 70 — 
			 November 71 69 — 
			 December 71 67 — 
		
	
	Letter from David Williams, dated 13 July 2012
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies in each month since January 2010. (117800)
	The UK Space Agency became an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 1 April 2011 and data are only available from this date. Figures prior to this date are included in the core Department of Business, Innovation and Skills data.
	The data requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Headcount 
			 2011  
			 April 33 
			 May 34 
			 June 34 
			 July 33 
			 August 33 
			 September 34 
			 October 37 
			 November 38 
			 December 35 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 36 
			 February 32 
			 March 33 
			 April 37 
			 May 37 
		
	
	Letter from Kim Thorneywork, dated 16 July 2012
	Thank you for your question in asking the Secretary of State for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the headcount was of his Department and each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies in each month since January 2010
	Please be advised that the Agency has used end of quarter figures which have been applied to the preceding months. Please refer to the table providing a detailed breakdown of the data.
	
		
			 Skills Funding Agency total headcount 
			 2010/11 
			  2010 2011 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March 
			 Total 1,901 1,901 1,901 1,875 1,875 1,875 1,645 1,645 1,645 1,655 1,655 1,655 
		
	
	2011-12
	
		
			 2011-12 
			  2011 2012 
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Total 1,633 1,633 1,633 1,565 1,565 1,565 1,529 1,529 1,529 1,259 1,259 1,259 
		
	
	
		
			 2012-13 
			  Quarter 1, 2012 
			  Apr May June 
			 Total 1,248 1,248 1,248 
			 Notes: 1. We have used our end of quarter figures and applied these to the preceding months. 2. The Skills Funding Agency was created in April 2010 so it is only possible to provide data from this date forwards. 
		
	
	Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence, dated 16 July 2012
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to reply to you in response to your Parliamentary Question asking The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills “what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies in each month since January 2010.”
	Ordnance Survey, as the national mapping agency of Great Britain, is a Department in its own right with Executive Agency Status operating as a government Trading Fund. It reports to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The headcount of Ordnance Survey for each of the months since January 2010 is:
	
		
			 Headcount 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 January 1,206 1,147 1,084 
			 February 1,208 1,147 1,086 
			 March 1,206 1,132 1,075 
			 April 1,195 1,117 1,080 
			 May 1,190 1,113 1,082 
			 June 1,187 1,108 1,076 
			 July 1,186 1,105 — 
			 August 1,183 1,100 — 
			 September 1,179 1,098 — 
			 October 1,178 1,097 — 
			 November 1,176 1,093 — 
			 December 1,151 1,091 — 
		
	
	These numbers represent total Ordnance Survey employee numbers and include full time and part time workers.
	I hope this information is of use.

Staff

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and (c) its office in Victoria Street, London, in each month since January 2010.

John Hayes: holding answer 17 July 2012
	The following table shows headcount for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) (excluding UKTI) in each month since January 2010.
	
		
			  BIS Headcount (excluding UKTI) 
			 January 2010 3,063 
			 February 2010 3,167 
			 March 2010 3,099 
			 April 2010 3,081 
			 May 2010 3,054 
			 June 2010 3,099 
			 July 2010 3,074 
			 August 2010 2,934 
			 September 2010 3,017 
			 October 2010 2,986 
			 November 2010 2,703 
			 December 2010 2,718 
			 January 2011 2,693 
			 February 2011 2,729 
			 March 2011 2,747 
			 April 2011 2,720 
			 May 2011 2,711 
			 June 2011 2,639 
			 July 2011 2,439 
			 August 2011 2,436 
			 September 2011 2,440 
			 October 2011 2,454 
			 November 2011 2,462 
			 December 2011 2,460 
			 January 2012 2,517 
			 February 2012 2,455 
			 March 2012 2,478 
			 April 2012 2,533 
			 May 2012 2,563 
		
	
	Information for BIS headcount by region and its Victoria street office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All BIS core (including UKTI) headcount data are published on a monthly basis and can be found at the following link.
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
	I have asked chief executives of the executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member. This information is not held by BIS in respect of non-departmental public bodies.
	Letter from David Williams dated 16 July 2012
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and (c) its Victoria Street, London, office, in each month since January 2010. (117801)
	The UK Space Agency became an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 1 April 2011 and data are only available from this date. Figures prior to this date are included in the core Department of Business, Innovation and Skills data.
	The data requested are shown below and all bar five staff are based at the Headquarters in Swindon, Wiltshire.
	
		
			 Period Headcount 
			 April 2011 33 
			 May 2011 34 
			 June 2011 34 
			 July 2011 33 
			 August 2011 33 
			 September 2011 34 
			 October 2011 37 
			 November 2011 38 
			 December 2011 35 
		
	
	
		
			 January 2012 36 
			 February 2012 32 
			 March 2012 33 
			 April 2012 37 
			 May 2012 37 
		
	
	Letter from Graham Horne dated 16 July 2012
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and (c) its Victoria Street, London, office, in each month since January 2010.
	Information relating to headcount by government region for The Insolvency Service is not maintained and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Insolvency Service does not have a Victoria Street, London office.
	Letter from John Hirst dated 16 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 July 2012, UIN 117801 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The headcount of the Met Office in each month since January 2010, by region is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Region Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
			 2010             
			 East Midlands 58 57 56 53 54 56 54 53 54 55 56 57 
			 East of England 40 40 39 38 36 34 35 36 37 38 38 37 
			 London 74 73 73 69 73 75 73 72 74 71 71 70 
			 North West 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 
			 Northern Ireland 11 12 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 11 11 12 
			 Overseas 39 41 42 45 40 42 43 36 38 41 36 33 
			 Scotland 111 111 112 113 113 113 113 108 109 110 109 107 
			 South East 78 76 77 75 79 79 80 81 77 72 70 69 
			 South West 1,455 1,457 1,455 1,441 1,442 1,440 1,455 1,463 1,461 1,436 1,447 1,447 
			 Wales 19 20 20 21 20 20 20 19 19 17 18 19 
			 West Midlands 14 13 14 13 14 14 14 15 14 14 14 14 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 18 18 19 18 20 20 19 19 20 20 19 18 
			              
			 2011             
			 East Midlands 59 57 56 57 57 56 56 55 56 57 56 58 
			 East of England 34 34 34 33 31 31 31 32 33 33 33 35 
			 London 69 70 68 66 62 64 64 63 62 62 65 68 
			 North West 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 
			 Northern Ireland 12 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 
			 Overseas 34 36 35 39 36 41 39 42 42 46 45 44 
			 Scotland 105 108 110 109 110 106 107 112 110 109 110 110 
			 South East 72 70 71 71 78 78 86 87 89 80 79 81 
			 South West 1,442 1,449 1,465 1,464 1,457 1,455 1,455 1,460 1,453 1,422 1,437 1,424 
			 Wales 18 18 18 16 17 17 16 16 17 18 17 17 
			 West Midlands 14 15 15 15 13 12 11 11 12 12 13 14 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 18 18 17 17 20 19 19 18 19 19 18 18 
			              
			 2012             
			 East Midlands 54 55 51 49 51 52 — — — — — — 
			 East of England 35 34 35 35 36 35 — — — — — — 
			 London 67 68 67 70 67 71 — — — — — — 
			 North West 9 9 9 9 9 9 — — — — — — 
			 Northern Ireland 11 11 11 10 11 12 — — — — — — 
			 Overseas 41 38 44 39 41 38 — — — — — — 
			 Scotland 107 104 103 104 112 115 — — — — — — 
			 South East 85 85 81 80 85 85 — — — — — — 
			 South West 1,409 1,446 1,452 1,434 1,464 1,457 — — — — — — 
			 Wales 17 17 17 16 17 17 — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 West Midlands 13 13 13 15 15 15 — — — — — — 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 19 17 18 19 19 19 — — — — — — 
		
	
	Letter from Tim Moss dated 16 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12 July 2012, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, UIN 117801.
	The headcount for Companies House, by region and its Victoria Street, London, Office in each month since January 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			 January 2010 to June 2012 
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 
			 2010             
			 Cardiff 1,105 1,105 1,097 1,106 1,111 1,108 1,111 1,098 1,104 1,104 1,089 1,090 
			 London 7 7 7 5 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 
			 Edinburgh 36 38 38 40 38 38 36 36 36 36 35 35 
			 Belfast 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 
			              
			 2011             
			 Cardiff 1,090 1,088 1,082 1,084 1,084 1,049 1,031 1,011 944 942 943 943 
			 London 9 8 9 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 
			 Edinburgh 35 35 34 34 34 33 32 32 27 27 27 26 
			 Belfast 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 
			              
			 2012             
			 Cardiff 943 941 936 931 929 930 — — — — — — 
			 London 7 7 7 7 8 8 — — — — — — 
			 Edinburgh 26 26 27 27 27 26 — — — — — — 
			 Belfast 20 20 20 20 20 20 — — — — — — 
		
	
	The headcount figures include full-time, part-time, and partially retired staff, and the number of full-time equivalent posts is significantly lower than the overall headcount numbers. For example, the number of full-time equivalent posts in Cardiff for January 2010 was 996 and for June 2012 it was 892. If you would like to see the full-time equivalent figures for the period in question please contact me, and I will forward them to you.
	Letter from Malcolm Dawson dated 16 July 2012
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your Parliamentary Question 117801 tabled on 12 July 2012 which asked the following:
	To ask the Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and (c) its Victoria Street, London, office, in each month since January 2010.
	For your information. Land Registry was an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice until July 2011 when we moved to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under a Machinery of Government change.
	The attached table overleaf gives the data requested. We have no staff based in Victoria Street.
	I hope you find this information useful.
	
		
			 Land Registry Headcount by region—January 2010 to July 2012 
			  Region 
			  East Midlands East of England Inner London North East North West Outer London South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 2010            
			 January 770 576 254 544 738 240 396 1,506 534 533 308 
			 February 770 575 255 544 736 238 396 1,504 534 533 306 
			 March 770 576 255 542 735 161 394 1,505 534 530 297 
			 April 768 578 251 541 733 158 393 1,502 534 530 296 
			 May 770 569 252 539 733 158 391 1,494 532 531 296 
			 June 768 566 254 538 730 158 381 1,492 532 531 296 
			 July 766 554 254 538 728 158 372 1,486 532 530 296 
			 August 754 478 257 536 720 158 317 1,479 527 519 294 
			 September 752 461 243 535 717 155 291 1,468 524 516 291 
			 October 744 422 217 530 696 152 227 1,453 515 496 273 
			 November 732 417 211 523 687 153 218 1,439 512 486 270 
			 December 732 418 209 524 684 153 212 1,430 512 483 268 
			             
		
	
	
		
			 2011            
			 January 732 415 204 518 682 152 202 1,421 511 480 268 
			 February 731 411 203 518 680 155 195 1,417 511 481 268 
			 March 728 411 201 518 679 158 123 1,416 509 481 268 
			 April(1) 723 404 — 515 674 311 108 1,408 507 482 265 
			 May 720 396 — 514 672 308 100 1,398 505 476 263 
			 June 717 389 — 511 671 309 92 1,390 504 477 262 
			 July 707 318 — 492 656 308 25 1,357 496 469 256 
			 August 706 316 — 490 655 315 20 1,354 496 468 256 
			 September 707 313 — 487 656 315 18 1,350 496 469 256 
			 October 707 312 — 486 655 313 18 1,352 494 467 256 
			 November 643 260 — 439 651 303 18 1,317 449 462 256 
			 December 638 257 — 437 649 303 18 1,315 448 461 256 
			             
			 2012            
			 January 635 256 — 436 649 303 18 1,307 447 461 253 
			 February 632 256 — 434 648 302 18 1,292 447 457 253 
			 March 630 256 — 434 649 303 18 1,289 447 454 253 
			 April 623 254 — 429 647 297 12 1,255 447 450 252 
			 May 625 255 — 430 647 296 13 1,283 446 451 252 
			 June 623 254 — 430 647 297 13 1,273 446 450 252 
			 July 623 254 — 429 647 299 12 1,255 147 450 252 
			 (1 )Land Registry sold its Head Office building in London in April 2011 and relocated employees to an existing office in Croydon. 
		
	
	Letter from Peter Mason dated 16 July 2012
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 July 2012, asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about headcount.
	The number of staff in post at NMO was as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 January 70 71 66 
			 February 68 71 66 
			 March 73 70 67 
			 April 73 70 66 
			 May 72 70 66 
			 June 71 70 66 
			 July 71 70 — 
			 August 71 70 — 
			 September 71 70 — 
			 October 71 70 — 
			 November 71 69 — 
			 December 71 67 — 
		
	
	NMO is based in Teddington, Greater London, and does not have any staff employed at 1 Victoria street.
	Letter from John Alty
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12th July 2012, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Headcount (HC) and Full time equivalent (FTE) of Intellectual Property Office since January 2010 is as follows in table below. London location—Bloomsbury Street until April 2012, Current location, Abbey Orchard Street.
	
		
			   Headcount Full-time Equivalent 
			 2010    
			 January Wales 877 827.97 
			  London 29 28.59 
			  Total 906.00 856.57 
			 February Wales 876 826.70 
			  London 29 28.59 
			  Total 905.00 855.29 
			 March Wales 878 828.69 
			  London 30 29.59 
			  Total 908.00 858.28 
			 April Wales 878 828.59 
			  London 29 28.59 
			  Total 907.00 857.18 
			 May Wales 878 828.59 
			  London 30 29.59 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 908.00 858.18 
			 June Wales 875 825.09 
			  London 31 30.59 
			  Total 906.00 855.68 
			 July Wales 874 823.78 
			  London 33 32.59 
			  Total 907.00 856.37 
			 August Wales 871 819.65 
			  London 33 32.59 
			  Total 904 852.24 
			 September Wales 872 819.40 
			  London 30 29.59 
			  Total 902.00 848.99 
			 October Wales 866 812.11 
			  London 31 30.59 
			  Total 897.00 842.71 
			 November Wales 864 809.75 
			  London 33 32.59 
			  Total 897.00 842.35 
			 December Wales 864 809.35 
			  London 30 29.59 
			  Total 894.00 838.94 
			     
			 2011    
			 January Wales 865 810.48 
			  London 32 32.00 
			  Total 897 842.48 
			 February Wales 864 809.44 
			  London 33 32.17 
			  Total 897 841.61 
			 March Wales 864 809.77 
			  London 36 35.17 
			  Total 900 844.94 
			 April Wales 862 807.74 
			  London 37 35.82 
			  Total 899 843.56 
			 May Wales 864 807.86 
			  London 38 36.82 
			  Total 902 844.68 
			 June Wales 863 806.90 
			  London 39 37.82 
			  Total 902 844.72 
			 July Wales 859 803.39 
			  London 38 36.82 
			  Total 897 840.21 
			 August Wales 857 801.59 
			  London 39 38.17 
			  Total 896 839.76 
			 September Wales 859 802.72 
			  London 38 37.17 
			  Total 897 839.89 
			 October Wales 858 801.66 
			  London 39 38.17 
			  Total 897 839.83 
			 November Wales 859 802.84 
			  London 41 40.20 
			  Total 900 843.04 
			 December Wales 858 801.65 
			  London 45 44.17 
			  Total 903 845.82 
			     
			 2012    
			 January Wales 861 803.81 
			  London 46 45.17 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 907 848.98 
			 February Wales 871 811.83 
			  London 45 44.17 
			  Total 916 856.00 
			 March Wales 870 811.06 
			  London 45 43.86 
			  Total 915 854.92 
			 April Wales 872 814.08 
			  London 49 47.86 
			  Total 921 861.94 
			 May Wales 902 843.78 
			  London 49 48.28 
			  Total 951 892.07 
			 June Wales 901 843.11 
			  London 50 49.28 
			  Total 951 892.40 
			 July Wales 899 840.98 
			  London 54 53.49 
			  Total 953 894.47 
		
	
	Letter from Kim Thorneywork dated 16 July 2012
	Thank you for your question in asking the Secretary of State for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the headcount was of his Department and each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and its Victoria Street, London, office, in each month since January 2010.
	Please be advised that the Agency has used end of quarter figures which have been applied to the preceding months. Please refer to the accompanying spreadsheet providing a detailed breakdown of the data.
	
		
			 Skills funding agency headcount report by region 
			  2010/11 
			  Quarter 1 2010 Quarter 2 2010 Quarter 3 2010 Quarter 4 2011 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 East Midlands 133 133 133 129 129 129 113 113 113 112 112 112 
			 East of England 120 120 120 118 118 118 101 101 101 100 100 100 
			 London 194 194 194 190 190 190 177 177 177 200 200 200 
			 North East 124 124 124 120 120 120 100 100 100 100 100 100 
			 North West 177 177 177 175 175 175 150 150 150 148 148 148 
			 South East 173 173 173 171 171 171 150 150 150 148 148 148 
			 South West 133 133 133 132 132 132 120 120 120 118 118 118 
			 West Midlands 676 676 676 671 671 671 580 580 580 578 578 578 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 171 171 171 169 169 169 154 154 154 151 151 151 
			 Grand Total 1,901 1,901 1,901 1,875 1,875 1,875 1,645 1,645 1,645 1,655 1,655 1,655 
		
	
	
		
			  2011/12 
			  Quarter 1 2011 Quarter 2 2011 Quarter 3 2011 Quarter 4 2012 
			  Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 East Midlands 112 112 112 106 106 106 89 89 89 50 50 50 
			 East of England 99 99 99 94 94 94 79 79 79 54 54 54 
			 London 195 195 195 190 190 190 200 200 200 177 177 177 
			 North East 99 99 99 95 95 95 91 91 91 75 75 75 
			 North West 146 146 146 137 137 137 144 144 144 123 123 123 
			 South East 147 147 147 143 143 143 145 145 145 118 118 118 
			 South West 116 116 116 113 113 113 109 109 109 68 68 68 
			 West Midlands 569 569 569 545 545 545 551 551 551 497 497 497 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 150 150 150 142 142 142 121 121 121 97 97 97 
			 Grand Total 1633 1633 1633 1565 1565 1565 1529 1529 1529 1259 1259 1259 
		
	
	
		
			  2012/13 
			  Quarter 1 2012 
			  Apr May Jun 
			 East Midlands 46 46 46 
			 East of England 52 52 52 
			 London 175 175 175 
			 North East 76 76 76 
			 North West 122 122 122 
			 South East 120 120 120 
			 South West 69 69 69 
			 West Midlands 488 488 488 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 100 100 100 
			 Grand Total 1,248 1,248 1,248 
			 Notes: 1. We have used our end of quarter figures and applied these to the preceding months. 2. The Skills Funding Agency was created in April 2010 so it is only possible to provide data from this date forwards. 
		
	
	
		
			 Skills Funding Agency headcount report—Victoria Street, London office 
			  London – Victoria Street office 
			 2010/11  
			 Quarter 4  
			 March 2011 200 
			   
			 2011/12  
			 Quarter 1  
			 April 2011 195 
			 May 2011 195 
			 June 2011 195 
			   
			 Quarter 2  
			 July 2011 190 
			 August 2011 190 
			 September 2011 190 
			   
			 Quarter 3  
			 October 2011 200 
			 November 2011 200 
			 December 2011 200 
			   
			 Quarter 4  
			 January 2012 177 
			 February 2012 177 
			 March 2012 177 
			   
			 2012/13  
			 Quarter 1  
			 April 2012 175 
			 May 2012 175 
			 June 2012 175 
			 Notes: 1. We have used our end of quarter figures and applied these to the preceding months. 2. The Skills Funding Agency moved into Victoria Street in March 2011 so it is only possible to provide data from this date forwards. 
		
	
	Letter from Vanessa Lawrence dated 16 July 2012
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to reply to you in response to your Parliamentary Question asking The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills “what the headcount was of (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies, by region and (c) its Victoria Street, London, office, in each month since January 2010.”
	Ordnance Survey, as the national mapping agency of Great Britain, is a Department in its own right with Executive Agency Status operating as a government Trading Fund. It reports to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The relevant headcounts of Ordnance Survey since January 2010 are given in the table at Annexe A to this letter. Ordnance Survey has no staff based in the BIS Office at 1 Victoria Street, London, but has a small field survey office in Buckingham Palace Road, London. Ordnance Survey's Head Office is in Southampton at the above address.
	I hope this information is of use.
	
		
			 Annexe A: Ordnance Survey Total Headcount by Month and Region 
			  London South East South West West Midlands North West North East 
			 2010       
			 January 21 964 26 22 31 13 
			 February 20 967 26 22 31 13 
			 March 20 965 26 22 31 13 
			 April 20 954 26 22 31 13 
			 May 20 950 26 21 31 13 
			 June 18 952 26 21 31 12 
			 July 18 951 26 21 31 12 
			 August 18 949 26 21 31 12 
			 September 18 945 26 21 31 12 
			 October 18 944 26 21 31 12 
			 November 18 942 26 21 31 12 
			 December 18 917 26 21 31 12 
			 2011       
			 January 18 915 26 21 31 12 
			 February 18 915 26 21 31 12 
			 March 18 900 26 21 31 12 
			 April 18 885 26 21 31 12 
			 May 18 882 26 21 31 12 
			 June 18 877 26 21 31 12 
			 July 18 876 26 21 31 12 
			 August 20 864 25 22 31 14 
			 September 20 860 25 23 31 14 
			 October 20 860 25 23 30 14 
			 November 20 857 25 23 30 13 
			 December 20 856 25 23 30 13 
			 2012       
			 January 20 850 24 23 30 13 
			 February 20 853 24 23 30 13 
			 March 20 848 24 22 30 13 
			 April 20 853 24 23 30 13 
			 May 20 862 20 23 30 13 
			 June 20 857 20 22 30 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Yorkshire and Humber East Midlands East of England Wales Scotland Total 
			 2010       
			 January 27 24 26 18 34 1,206 
			 February 27 24 26 18 34 1,208 
			 March 27 24 26 18 34 1,206 
			 April 27 24 26 18 34 1,195 
			 May 27 24 26 18 34 1,190 
			 June 27 22 26 18 34 1,187 
			 July 27 22 26 18 34 1,186 
			 August 26 22 26 18 34 1,183 
			 September 26 22 26 18 34 1,179 
			 October 26 22 26 18 34 1,178 
			 November 26 22 26 18 34 1,176 
			 December 26 22 26 18 34 1,151 
			 2011       
		
	
	
		
			 January 25 22 26 18 33 1,147 
			 February 25 22 26 18 33 1,147 
			 March 25 22 26 18 33 1,132 
			 April 25 22 26 18 33 1,117 
			 May 25 21 26 18 33 1,113 
			 June 25 21 26 18 33 1,108 
			 July 25 20 25 18 33 1,105 
			 August 25 21 26 19 33 1,100 
			 September 25 22 26 19 33 1,098 
			 October 25 22 26 19 33 1,097 
			 November 2S 22 26 19 33 1,093 
			 December 25 22 26 19 32 1,091 
			 2012       
			 January 25 22 26 19 32 1,084 
			 February 2S 22 25 19 32 1,086 
			 March 24 20 25 19 30 1,075 
			 April 24 19 25 19 30 1,080 
			 May 24 17 24 19 30 1,082 
			 June 24 17 24 19 30 1,076 
			 Note: These numbers represent total Ordnance Survey employee numbers and include full-time and part-time workers. The figures for “South East” include the staff employed at Ordnance Survey's Head Office in Southampton.

Working Hours

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 992-3W, on working hours, if he will publish the figures for the average number of hours worked by UK workers compared to workers in other countries for each year in which data are available.

Norman Lamb: The Office for National Statistics already publishes the results of the Labour Force Survey quarterly which includes information on working hours. In accordance with EU regulations, this information is submitted to Eurostat, which collates information provided by all 27 EU member states as well as candidate countries and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and publishes it on its website:
	http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database
	The most recent 10 years data on average number of actual hours worked by the UK workforce in comparison to other EU countries are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Average number of actual weekly hours of work in main job 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 European Union (27 countries) 37.6 37.6 37.6 37.7 37.5 37.4 37.3 36.9 36.9 36.9 
			 Austria 38.9 38.8 39.4 38.7 38.5 38.0 37.6 36.6 36.5 36.6 
			 Belgium 36.6 36.4 36.2 36.7 36.8 37.0 36.7 36.6 36.9 36.8 
			 Bulgaria 41.2 39.9 40.6 40.6 41.0 41.1 41.0 40.3 40.5 40.2 
			 Croatia 40.6 40.5 40.2 39.6 39.8 39.8 39.5 39.2 39.0 38.9 
			 Cyprus 38.3 38.0 38.6 39.1 39.1 39.0 38.9 38.6 38.8 38.6 
			 Czech Republic 41.3 41.4 42.0 41.7 41.4 41.3 41.3 40.5 40.4 40.3 
			 Denmark 34.9 34.2 33.7 35.1 34.8 34.9 34.7 34.3 34.6 34.9 
			 Estonia 40.4 39.6 40.0 39.9 39.9 39.6 39.1 37.6 38.4 38.6 
			 Finland 36.7 36.0 36.5 37.0 36.8 36.7 36.7 36.1 36.4 36.4 
			 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the — — — — 43.4 42.7 42.6 41.6 41.5 41.2 
			 France 37.6 36.8 36.7 36.8 36.8 36.7 36.8 36.5 36.8 36.8 
			 Germany 37.4 36.9 36.9 36.8 36.0 36.0 35.9 35.3 35.6 35.6 
			 Greece 42.0 42.1 42.1 41.9 41.5 41.2 41.0 40.8 40.9 40.9 
			 Hungary 41.3 40.6 40.7 40.3 40.2 39.9 40.0 39.6 39.6 39.1 
			 Iceland 41.4 40.4 40.6 40.9 41.1 40.6 40.5 38.5 38.5 38.9 
			 Ireland 37.7 37.2 37.0 37.3 37.1 36.7 36.3 35.1 34.9 34.9 
			 Italy 35.7 38.9 38.4 38.1 37.9 38.0 37.6 37.2 37.3 37.0 
			 Latvia 42.5 42.0 41.1 41.4 41.3 40.5 39.4 38.8 38.4 38.6 
			 Lithuania 38.5 37.6 37.9 38.1 38.1 38.6 39.2 38.6 38.4 38.3 
			 Luxembourg 38.6 37.9 38.2 37.9 37.6 37.5 37.2 37.8 37.7 37.8 
			 Malta 39.7 38.3 40.7 39.1 38.7 38.9 39.0 38.8 38.1 37.7 
			 Netherlands 30.6 30.9 30.6 31.6 31.9 31.7 31.7 31.4 31.5 31.7 
			 Norway 34.9 32.8 32.9 34.5 34.2 34.0 34.1 33.7 33.7 33.9 
			 Poland 40.5 40.5 40.6 40.3 40.3 40.3 40.1 39.7 39.6 39.5 
			 Portugal 38.3 37.5 38.7 38.4 38.3 37.9 37.9 37.9 38.1 38.0 
			 Romania 40.6 40.7 40.7 40.1 39.8 39.7 39.6 39.4 39.2 39.2 
			 Slovakia 40.8 40.5 40.7 41.0 40.1 40.3 39.8 39.2 39.5 39.5 
			 Slovenia 40.5 40.2 39.6 40.2 39.5 39.5 39.5 38.8 38.6 38.4 
			 Spain 38.5 37.7 38.3 38.6 38.5 38.4 38.3 37.8 37.7 37.5 
			 Sweden 34.7 33.9 34.4 35.6 35.4 35.4 35.4 35.0 35.8 35.7 
			 Switzerland 36.8 37.0 37.2 37.3 37.3 36.8 37.0 36.4 36.8 36.7 
			 Turkey — — — — 51.5 49.3 49.7 48.4 47.4 47.0 
			 United Kingdom 35.9 35.5 35.5 35.8 35.7 35.8 35.5 35.4 35.3 35.3 
			 Source: Eurostat: lfsa_ewhais

Working Hours

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 993-6W, on working hours, EU law, what the position of the UK was and what proportion of UK workers were satisfied with the effect of their working hours on family life in each European Working Conditions Survey conducted in the last 30 years.

Norman Lamb: The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) was launched in 1990 and the geographical coverage of the survey has expanded over time to include EU and non-EU countries.
	The first and second EWCS surveys did not include questions on working hours and the effect on family life. The 2000, 2005 and 2010 surveys contained the following question:
	In general, do your working hours fit in with your family or social commitments outside work very well, well, not very well or not at all well?
	The proportion of UK workers answering this question with either ‘very well’ or ‘well’ and the relative position of UK workers when compared to workers in other surveyed countries is as follows:
	
		
			  Proportion of UK workers answering ‘very well’ or ‘well’ Comparison to workers in other countries surveyed 
			 2000 85.3 7th highest (7th in the EU) 
			 2005 84.8 7th highest (6th in the EU) 
			 2010 87.2 4th highest (3rd in the EU)